


Dream a little dream (you're never waking up)

by AquaMom



Category: Midnighter and Apollo (Comics), The Authority, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst?, Gen, It started with a prompt and it's turned into something, Kaldur'bomb, M/M, May do another version of it, Multi, Other, accidental dimensional travel, probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-10-23 12:40:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17683640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AquaMom/pseuds/AquaMom
Summary: Like Alice in Wonderland,  Kaldur accidentally ends up in a dimension that's not unlike his own, but is completely not like his home.





	1. Chapter 1

 

"Thanks for helping out with the shopping today, Kal."  Will was saying as he kept hold of a fussy Lian while also balancing a grocery bag to the van.  "Artemis usually helps, but you know-"

"She has other obligations." Kaldur finished, "I'm more than happy to help a friend. Especially since I get to see my goddaughter as well."   It had long been explained to him what a 'godparent' did and since then, he'd taken the role quite seriously. It was actually quite easy to do, since he dearly loved Lian almost as if she were his own.   "Are you sure you have everything?"

"Yeah, I think so." Will sighed softly, " The other parents are putting together a potluck at Lynn's place this time and I said I'd bring something. But honestly, I'm not sure what I'll make this time."

Kaldur helped open the trunk while Will puts Lian in her car-seat.  It was a rare time, really.  Ever since he took up the mantle of Aquaman and then was elected to become the leader of the League, he barely has time to even relax, let alone see his friends when there wasn't a crisis involved.  Honestly, if he admitted it to no one but himself, it was taxing his reserves.  He's not sure how long he'll be able to balance this sort of life, but he couldn't see himself doing nothing else.  Helping Will out or at least being able to visit when he could was one of the respites from the norm.  One that he cherishes a lot. 

"I'm sure you'll think of something, my friend." Kaldur smiled a bit moving over to the other side of the van. "It will come to-"

"Come to what?" Will looked up when his friend hadn't finished his sentence.  "Kaldur?"

"Daaaaaddddeeee!" Lian waved her toy in front of his face, "Daaa~!"

"Not right now, princess."  Will said distractedly, closing the door. Everything in him was on high alert. All the possible scenarios played through his mind.  "Kaldur? "

He reached back in his pocket but remembered he no longer carried weapons with him.  He was a normal suburban father. He didn't need to do that anymore.  Still, as quietly as he could, he edged around the van where Kaldur had been standing, and saw nothing there but a pair of sandals.

"What the hell?"   Blue eyes scanned around, but he didn't see the man anywhere. It was like he had disappeared in thin air.

* * *

 

 

The smell of bacon frying wakes him.  His sleep fogged brain didn't register much beyond the soft pillow, firm mattress with a duvet covering him, and the smell of bacon that wafted in somewhere.  A moment pass, he realizes there's sunlight in this room and the sheets are a grayish hue with some designs on them.  There's a lamp that's eye level on the white nightstand. The lamp itself was made of glass and had seashells within it.

When had he gotten those?

He turns over in his bed, the white ceiling is bright with sunlight, enough that he has to close his eyes again.  

"Kal!"  

It's a voice- but not one he recognizes.  Trying to orientate himself, he sat up in bed, taking in the room. There's three windows with the blinds open showing a beautiful view of the sea beyond it. The entire room was as white as eggshells with the floor also of a similar color. The only color that he could actually see in the room aside from the bed, were the books on the shelves next to him and the throw pillows on a wicker chair next to the farthest window.  He leaned over and caught sight of a rug just beneath the bed that was of a neutral color pattern.  

"Damn it, Kal!" The voice calls again, "Get up! The food's getting cold and I'll be late to work!"

This time, the voice registers as someone he should know. He should know who this is. The sound of footsteps aren't as heavy on the floor.  He turned to the door to see a red haired lithe man with aquamarine colored eyes, freckles scattered across his cheeks and a slight frown on his lips.  He was dressed in a casual jeans with a tank-top, a seashell pendant hung from his neck.  

"Good, you're awake." He said briskly walking in.  "There's food downstairs and don't be late to work too."  He's lean, probably been a swimmer all his life, is what Kaldur thought. The familiarity of him as he moves over to kiss him lightly, "I'll see you at home in the evening. If luck's with us, we'll both be home on time."

He should know this, shouldn't he? Him. This man, he should know him, but not a single word comes to mind. How could he not know him? 

"Hey, love?" The man gives him a worried look, "Are you alright there?"   His voice drops slightly in octave as if he were saying something he shouldn't, despite them being all alone there.  "Is it...the accident?  Are you still upset over that?  You know it's not your fault, right?"

"Accident?" Kaldur gave him a clueless look, "What accident?  I- "    Images, someone else he knows, yet doesn't. Striking blue eyes.  "- I don't remember."

The man sits down next to him, "What do you mean, you don't remember?"  Concern etched in his face, his hand slides around Kaldur's shoulders, " I'm going to have to call Dr. Maris, don't I?  She'll know what's up with you."

He shook his head slowly. " I- I'm sorry, I don't mean to be a bother, it's just..."

"Just?"

He exhales slowly looking up at him, " I don't know who you are.  I don't know where I am and- I'm not sure what my name even is."

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

 

 "And then he just _vanished_ into thin air!"  Will frowned looking at Dick. They were back at the parking lot where Kaldur had disappeared from not too long ago. "I can't explain it, I got Lian home first and called you guys."

Dick nods at that, but was distracted by the readings, "What do you think, M'gann?"

"I think we need to pull in an expert." She announced, her eyes glowed briefly as she puts her hand down, "It seems to be some kind of anomaly here. Like a tear had happened and has only been recently healed."

"Any suggestions on who we should talk to?" 

She tilted her head a bit, "Perhaps someone from the Authority?  Or former members of it.  They've had experiences with this sort of thing and for all we know there maybe something wrong with the Bleed."

Will looked between those two as if they were speaking another language all together, "Excuse me, but what's the Bleed?"

"Oh, that's right, you weren't there for that."  Dick says absently sending the file over to Barbara. "In simple terms, the Bleed is the thing between worlds- between dimensions."

"It's likely that something's happened to it and Kaldur's been caught up in it." M'gann sighed softly, "The Bleed responds well to those with magic in them. If an unexpected rupture happened, it likely was drawn to him and pulled him in."

"So he could be anywhere in that?" Will felt a sudden horror snake up through him, " he could be lost in any given world?"

Dick turned to him, " Unfortunately, that's a likely scenario.  We better hope his magic protects him too. We don't know much about the Bleed and what it can do to an unprepared traveler."

"For his sake, " M'gann began contacting someone, "lets hope he hasn't lost his mind as well."

"What do you mean lose his mind?" Will was not going to panic. No, this is Kaldur they're talking about. One of the strongest people they know and most determined. There was no way he'd lose himself to whatever this is, right?  "I thought-"

"I told you we don't know this thing well."  Dick said squinting up at the sky, "How long til they arrive?"

"A few minutes." M'gann answered, "I hope we can get him back. The League's still not..."  She trailed off, hugging her arm, "Any way, they should be here soon."

"Who?"  

As if to answer Will's question, not too long after that a shadow fell over them and a barefooted man appeared with two others.  He's never seen these people in his life. One wore all black, the other mostly in white and was the tallest of the three. Dick seemed to know them well enough because he went up to the darkly dressed one and greeted them. 

"who are these guys?" 

M'gann gave him a small smile, "They're part of the Authority. Not really on anyone's side, mind you, but they do good work."  She didn't add that they were a lot like the team was in the beginning. Collateral damage all the time.  Though, the group was actually older than they had been. " the one in black is Midnighter and the one next to him in white is his partner, Apollo."

"Who's barefoot McGee?" Will thumbed over to him, "He's...odd."

"Oh, that's Jack Hawksmoor." M'gann smiled a little, " He's known as the 'god of cities' since he seems to have a connection to them almost on a spiritual level."

"So," Jack Hawksmoor walked over to them, "your friend maybe lost in the bleed? This is an unusual event. Usually the Bleed stays where it is and doesn't go around pulling people in."   He shifted a bit looking down, "Star City?  I see, hm.."

Will raised a brow, "Is he talking to us?"

"No. He's talking to the city." Apollo looks up, still frowning just a little, "I hope we can get this done soon. I don't want Jenny staying up late again."

"She'll be fine." Midnighter casually surveyed the land, " Hopefully this'll be a quick snatch and grab."

"Thanks for coming out here, guys." Dick said, " I know you're busy-"

"Nah, it's fine."  Midnighter grinned just a bit. "Gotta stretch the legs out sometimes. Plus we can't have the League's leader just vanishing all the time. What would the neighbors say?"

Jack rose after a moment of kneeling, " It's actually worse than you think. She tells me that what happened to Aquaman isn't an isolated incident. There's been little tears all over the place but usually most people don't get sucked into them. Usually."

"So there may be others?"  M'gann exchanged a worried look with Dick and Will, "Does she know who's doing it."

"Unfortunately no." Jack replied, "However, we got an energy trace so that may help us find where Aquaman is in the bleed and hopefully on a non-hostile world."

"If we're really going to go, we better make it quick then." Midnighter turned slight, "Door."

A golden door shaped portal appeared not too far away from them.  

"We'll be in touch."  Jack said to them as the other two left, "Right now, I'd suggest you keep that League of your's out of our way."  He smiled back, though not nicely, " We tend not to play nice with each other."

With them gone, Will could only shake his head, "We're depending on them for help? What the hell kind of friends have you been making, Dick?"

"Hopefully good ones." Dick sighed softly, "M'gann, do you want to-?"

"And have you make me the face of this?" M'gann grabbed hold of his arm, " Nice try, but you're going to break the news to them, however I'll be there to help."

* * *

 

He now knows the man's name.  His name is Liam Taylur. (" I know, the u in Taylur is weird, but that's just how it is.") And that he and Liam had been married for two years, dated for three prior to that. That they met at a beach party thrown by a mutual friend- of whom Kaldur still can't remember their name.  That he works with the lifeguards during the spring and summer but during winter he helps maintain the lighthouse at the end of the cove with a man named Joe Curry.

"Do you remember this one?" Liam had his phone out, flipping thorough the countless pictures within, "It's when we went to the circus to see that acrobat group."

Something about that felt familiar but again whatever it was seemed to have gone. At the moment, he's sitting in the waiting room with Liam for his doctor to check him out. The entire day felt odd, even though he knows it shouldn't.  He looked down at his hands again, flexing them.  Normal hands.   He frowns at that.  What else did he expect? Of course they're normal. Just like his tattoos were normal.  So why did he feel like it wasn't?  

"Maybe I hit my head...?" Kaldur muttered to himself, "That probably would explain a lot."

"You did." Liam pipped up having gone silent trying to find other things that Kaldur should, but doesn't, remember. "It was a boating accident. You were just trying to save lives then, Kal."  he puts his phone down and reaches over to hold one of his hands, "Maybe it was a delayed thing and something's wrong up there?  I knew we should've done the scans then but you were too worried about the kids."

"Kids...the ones in the boat." Kaldur tries to remember, "They stole the boat..."

"That's right." Liam nods, "Do you remember it?"

_"Aqualad where are you?"_

The memory was there. He recalled a brief moment of falling into the water. Of someone beside him floating and calling for him.  But that's not his name...was it?

"Kane?  Mr. Kane, we're ready for you." The nurse called, snapping him back to the present.

Worriedly, Liam helped him gather his things and head into the room.  "Hopefully, it'll be alright, Kal."

 Even as they saw the doctor and she spoke to them on whether or not he had any additional symptoms, Kaldur felt his attention drifting off somewhere else.  It wasn't like him to not pay attention when something this important was being said, but he couldn't quite focus on her words.  The conversation between Liam and the doctor washes over him like waves crashing over rocks.  It's there, noisy and pleasant, but he's not really hearing what's being said. 

By the time it ended, he had another appointment and this time they were going to do another scan to make sure he was truly alright. 

So, Liam had to take him home.  Only instead of going straight there, the jeep they were in veered off and towards the beach, parking in the lot. 

"Lets go." Liam smiles over at him, " I know it's been such a weird day, maybe a little time at the beach will help?"

"If you think so." Kaldur was uncertain but follows his lead.  

The moment he breathes in the sea air, the uncertainty that had been with him all this time, eased.  Maybe Liam's right about being at the beach would help?  Already, the tension between his shoulder blades were gone and his stride more relaxed as they headed to the sands below.  The ocean's waters lapping at the sands. Above, seagulls cry to one another, spotting something below.  Without really realizing it, Kaldur headed to the water's edge, slipping off the sandals he wore, walking into the surf.

"Ah- Kal!  At least take your shirt off!"  Liam called after him, then sighed deeply seeing that his husband was utterly hopeless in that regard.  "Doesn't he know how much of a pain it is to dry a wet seat?"

But Kaldur's not paying attention to that. The cold sea water is inviting to him. Drawing him deeply into its' depths.  Calling him to dive further down.  Instinctively, he takes a breath then dives as far as he dares to.  This is his element, he knows this.  This is where he belonged.  Not up there in the air with the others, but down here in the darkening waters. Where the light can only just reach certain places.  A place that's so clear to him as if he were on land.  

_Atlantis_.

Why was he thinking of that?  It doesn't exist.  

Before he can contemplate on it any longer, he felt his lungs starting to burn. He needed air. Why had he swum so far from the surface?  He can't breathe water!   Panic sunk in as he realized he'd gone too far down.  He starts swimming upwards towards the light. Towards the surface.  He's not sure how long he's held his breath for or how strong of a swimmer he was, but he knew he needed to get up there. Fast.

He keeps at it, trying in vain to get to the surface. His body is starting to hurt from exhaustion. Air bubbles escape from his mouth and nose, clouding his sight for a moment.  He keeps going, trying to get to the glowing orb above him.  He just can barely reach it when he begins to sink again.  It's then he barely registers that he's drowning.  He's never experienced it before. This invasive water filling up his lungs that only deprived him of the oxygen he needed rather than supplying it. The world was darkening around the edges, but the glowing light of the sun stayed the same at the center, until it -too- began to grow dark. 

It's then, barely conscious, he feels someone grab onto him. They drag him to the surface where he gasps, and coughs up sea water.  

"That's it."  This voice sounded too familiar to be right.  "Looks like you swam too far there, boy."

Boy.  His eyes widen a bit as he looked up at the man holding onto him. Hair cut short, graying on the bottom. Face that favored his own just a bit.  He knows this man. 

"Black...Manta..?" He coughs again. This can't be right.  Wasn't he-?

The man laughed, " No, son, you mean Aquaman, right?"

Aquaman?  No, no, no- this can't be right!  Yet, Kaldur couldn't refute this.  He's taken back to shore where Liam fusses over him and there's a group of people waiting for them. 

"Thank you, Aquaman!" Liam says to the orange and gold dressed hero. "Thank you for saving him."

"Any time. Just make sure he gets checked out, alright?"  Aquaman said to them, "Take care."  And went back to the sea. 

Kaldur, dazed, was immensely confused.  Were his memories jumbled up that badly that he's concocting fake ones?  Clearly that man is Aquaman.  He's a superhero.   Then what was Kaldur then?

Something was terribly wrong, and Kaldur was afraid it might be him.

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

He's been here for almost two weeks straight.  He's certain it's been two weeks because he's kept track of each day on a calendar and marked it off religiously.  Of the things he's learned in the last few weeks made him question many things but he's finally come to a conclusion.

Either he's- A: Actually a normal human male that's married and works in and around the ocean that's protected by Aquaman, who looks a lot like his father and everything else in his mind is just him going crazy. 

Or  B: He's actually Aquaman but not from this world and his father isn't a hero at all but a villain and he's the leader of the Justice League and he isn't going crazy, he's just displaced from his own world somehow.

One of those two things was real, but he just wasn't still quite sure which.  He had the memories of that other world and of being there but at the same time, he was starting to have memories of being here.   He remembered meeting Liam at the beach party a mutual friend - Antone Cregh- had thrown in celebration of his promotion at his job.  He remembered their dates- what Liam liked, didn't like.  What movies made him laugh or cry.  How many doughnut holes he could stuff in his mouth that made him look like a chipmunk.

All the small intimate things, he knew about Liam.  There was no way he should know them if he wasn't of this world.  So he must be of this world, or something, right?  It would make more sense that his accident had rattled something in his head and that he's just a normal man. Nothing extraordinary about him in anyway.

"Kal?"  Liam entered their bedroom where Kaldur was still staring up at the ceiling for a moment, " Are you sure you're ok? I mean, I can call off today too."

Kaldur rolls over onto his side to sit up, " No, don't. I've been enough of a burden to you these last few weeks." He smiled up at him, "Have a nice day at work.  I'll be fine. I'm going down to the lighthouse to help Joe, remember?  It's not that far."

Liam still hovered over him, worry still there. "If you're sure- make sure you take the bus there.  I don't want you driving."

A genuine smile slipped across his lips and lit up his eyes just a touch, " I promise.  I'll be as careful as possible, Liam. You have my word."

After another moment of hesitation, Liam half crawled over the bed to give him a brief kiss, "I'll see you tonight love."

With that, he was gone, though Kaldur lingered in bed for a while longer.  The kiss still warm on his lips. He shouldn't.  He knows he really should not feel anything for this man, but it was getting harder each day not to. Liam took good care of him while his health and mental health was so uncertain. He didn't abandon him to figure it all out alone, but stayed and helped him re-familiarize himself  with others again. 

It's hard to not feel affection of some kind to someone who's helping you and giving you affection just as freely.  It warms him in a way he wished he had in his other world- or at least the one he's made up.  In that one, Kaldur thinks he remembers it- perhaps too well, actually.  The long nights and then going home to Atlantis where he lived alone.  A space of his own, his step-father called it.  Really, Kaldur felt it could've been any room anywhere and it would be just as empty. 

Just as lonely as before.

Here, though, there's someone that's there. While he liked his solitary moments where he could think, there's something about having someone that's also there and lives with you that-

"I need to get ready to go."  He said out loud to no one. " I have things to do."

Kaldur told himself to get up and get ready for work-whatever work that was.  The simple function of getting up, getting dressed, and leaving to take the bus may be small thing but for him it's an amazing accomplishment given everything that's happened.  He managed to get the right bus and it took him twelve stops to the dead end road.  One he had to climb down to the other road that lead to the light house.

"Well if it isn't Mr. Kane." The man that called to him is the definition of a California surfer dude in looks at least. His blonde hair fell around his shoulders in a shaggy style like he hadn't combed it in at least three days. He wore ripped up jeans and an old shirt that used to be white, once upon a time.  "Glad you could make it out here, buddy.  We got some repairs to do."

"My apologies, Mr. Curry."  Kaldur watched him pick up a tool box and gesture for him to get the other one.  He does so, " I've been ill as of late."

"Can tell." Joseph Curry said heading to the lighthouse itself, " You're talking more formal now than you did in your interview.  That accident must've really knocked something around."

Kaldur blinked.  Well, that is strange, isn't it?   "Were we more casual than this?"

"You could say so."

"I see." It's something he had to keep in mind. Whether or not his memories-either one- were real or not, he had to exist in this world as best as he could until he could figure out how to leave. 

That thought gave him pause.  Did he want to leave?   On the heels of that, many other questions started bubbling up so much, he could scarcely keep up with his own mind.

"Yo, airhead." Joe called to him, " I need you to clean the windows while I check on the light and all. No heavy lifting for you. Or your avenging widower will put me in the ground."

Widower?  Liam?   

"Did he call?"  Again, a faint smile twitched to life. "I suspect he couldn't trust you to my care."

"Do I look like a nurse?" Joe rolled his eyes but grinned anyway, " I mean, sure I got the legs for it and all, but anyway, make sure you rest before my head rolls."

"Will do."  Kaldur gave a mock salute with his rag then wondered at the action as he began to clean.  It felt natural to joke with his boss like this.  

Was it always like this?

After a while, Joe flipped on the radio, playing some song that Kaldur's never heard of.  For a good hour and a half, they worked together like this.  Endless music playing one song after another, hardly no commercial breaks in between to advertise anything. Music that had a strange lilt to it but after a while, Kaldur found himself humming along.  The combination of cleaning and music seemed to be like magic to him.  It nearly made the task actually enjoyable to a degree. 

At least until the music stopped. 

_"Breaking news in Amnesty Bay!"_ The voice on the radio announced, _" We just gotten word that along the coast just twelve miles from the famous Curry Lighthouse, the hero known as Aquaman has engaged in a battle with the terrorist and pirate known as White Manta.  We caution all our citizens to stay away from the coastal areas and to evacuate to the nearest shelter as soon as possible until the danger is over.  I repeat-"_

**White** Manta?  

Joe spat at the ground, his face twisted in revulsion and annoyance, "That damn White Manta's always screwing shit up for the rest of us. We can't go a good _month_ without that bastard wrecking something!"  He shook his head, gathering his tools, "I tell you, Kal, that that-"   He stopped and looked around, " Kal?"   Moving over to the edge of the look out he spotted him, "Kal!  Where the hell are you going?"

Getting no answer, Joe swears again, " Man, Liam is going to _murder_ me!"

* * *

 

 

"Well?" It's been only three days, but Will's trying to keep a lid on everything.  His worry about Kaldur had effected his work a little, but he could compensate with putting some of the other guys on it.  It's fine.  He just needed to concentrate.  It's not like this doesn't happen to heroes all the time.  It's part of the job- the life. They all knew that wen they took up the spandex and masks.  

Except, Kaldur wasn't on the job then.  He had been with him and Lian shopping for food for that damn superkid-daycare thing they'd all thought to do. If he hadn't been with him, then maybe...

"If you stop looking at me like I stepped on your favorite food, that'd be nice." Dick said though he raised a brow at Artemis, " Is he always like that?"

"You should know." Artemis raises a brow back, "You were friends with him before I met you."  She sipped her drink, "But he has a point. What's going on with the Authority?  Do they have any leads as to what's going on?"

"Not much, I'm afraid."  He replied with a sigh, "But according to their Doctor, he says that something had disturbed the bleed. Something that might not have been there in the first place.  It may have been why the bleed kept tearing holes everywhere and then healing them up.  It could be- by their theory at any rate- that Kaldur was sucked in and then possibly transported to where the tears were originating."

"That's great and all," Will had to do something with his hands. His mug was empty so he refilled it, "but what does that actually mean in the long run? Will we be able to get him back?"

Dick shrugged, his dark blue eyes cloud over in thought. "I don't know. I have faith that they'll be able to locate him or at least point us in the right direction."

Will exhaled, "So now we wait, is that it?"

"You got any better suggestions?"

His lips pursed in thought, "What about Zatanna?  Or even that asshole, Dr. Fate?  Can't they do anything?"

"No can do." Artemis shook her head, "This isn't on the level of what she can do and you know as well as I do that Fate's a dick that won't help no one unless it's for 'the order' of things."

"Isn't this an order issue?" Will asked annoyed, "Kaldur's probably in a different dimension than us. Doesn't that disrupt anything?"

"Probably not to him." She replied. 

Dick considered it, "Maybe.  In either case, we have more magical and mystical friends we could call on if the Authority doesn't pan out- but I hope they do. They're kinda experts on that thing."

"I hope so too." Will glanced out of the window for a while longer.  

It's guilt, he knows it.  Guilt drove him to near insanity.  It had him doing things he didn't think he'd do.  Desperation did that too.   He doesn't like to think about what happened with Roy- the real Roy.  Even though he's managed it and gotten better at handling it, it still didn't mean that it went away entirely. 

He just had better ways of channeling that. 

It's midnight, and he's in the backyard of his nice suburban home shooting arrows at targets he'd normally get easily enough blindfolded.   Sleep hadn't come easily for him.  He kept dreaming about not only Kaldur disappearing but Lian too.   That alone had woken him up in night sweats, gasping for air. It bothered him. Everything about this was setting him on edge and he didn't like it.  The worst part of this, unlike with the search for Speedy where he could do something, he couldn't do anything.  He had no way to get to Kaldur to being with; no understanding as to what the hell the Bleed even was and to top it off, he's still unsure about the Authority and Dick's respect for them.

He normally trusts Dick's opinion but seeing them, he wasn't so sure. 

Or maybe he's mad that they could do something he couldn't. 

"Chill, Harper." Will said to himself drawing the bowstring again with another arrow, "You have a good life. Don't get sucked into that again."  

And released it.   A perfect bull's eye like any other time.  Yet, it felt hollow again. Like the other three arrows sticking out of it. He had to admit, fighting with Roy, Jim and Dick had been fun, even. It felt like it used to back before he knew.

His hand tightens into a fist at his side as he strode over to the target and began plucking out the arrows.  That was enough for tonight.   He still had to make Lian's cupcakes for her sleep over with the girls at Lynn's and there was the company picnic to plan.

All that, and his best friend was still missing. 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Kaldur doesn't know what he's actually doing heading to a battle that's twelve miles away.  But he borrowed a bike (thank Poseidon's beard that M'gann and Conner helped him learned to ride one), and pedaled down hill towards the other beach where the fight was taking place.  It had taken him at least ten to twenty minutes, but even then the fight was still roaring on as White Manta razed the sandy beach where this world's Aquaman stood. 

Kaldur had nearly fallen off the bike in the attempt to stop it as he watched the two fight. The area was clear of any people who were sane enough to live, while he drew closer, hiding from the pair.  He'd hoped that maybe he could hear something of their conversation. Maybe.. maybe this villain wasn't whom he feared it'd be.  Yet logic dictated that it might. 

 

He doesn't get to hear anything as White Manta, in his stark all white suit, sailed over and hit the building behind him.  The villain falls to the ground as Aquaman walked in from the beach, his strides intent and sure. 

"This is over, White Manta." He called, "Enough with this dance of ours!  Aren't you tired of being a liar and cheat? Even to those men you tricked into following you?"

It can't be, yet his bones quake at the sound of White Manta's voice.  

"Ha!"  White Manta's head snapped up, blue glowing laser eyes charging then discharged a powerful blast at him. "You should be thanking me, Aquaman. Those fools really think I give a shit about their 'pure white ' country? At least I'm putting them to use, even if it's for my own benefit."  He was getting up, not even noticing Kaldur.   "If you'd at least stop hampering my plans, we could've been friends."

Aquaman held his trident in front of him, blocking the laser as it hits the shielding,  "Sorry.  I just don't do crime! Never saw the appeal for the hobby!"

"Hobby? It's my livelihood and my father's!"  White Manta walked forward, "Don't think I've forgiven you for what you've done!"

"For the love of Poseidon, Arthur, it was an accident!  We both know it! The Coroner confirmed your father had a heart condition he wasn't taken care of!"  Aquaman dug in his heels, " I did the best I could! I'm sorry for it, but it's not my fault or yours for what happened!  Let it go!"

"Never!" White Manta increased the rays to envelope Aquaman. 

Kaldur watched the scene unfold with a profound sense of horror at what he was witnessing. Everything was different. Nothing's like what it was before.  Yet, as much as it disturbed him deeply, he found he couldn't just sit there and let Aquaman fight alone. He looked around before getting a pipe from the debris of the building, and silently he ran up behind White Manta and stuck him in a specific part of the helmet that dented it.   White Manta stumbled, thrown off by the sudden attack. 

Kaldur knew better than to give the villain breathing room and continued swinging the pipe at his head, missing once but catching the other eye socket of the lasers.   When he went to swing once more, White Manta brought up his arm and blocked it. Then took a good look at him.  His bright blue eye could be seen through the hole where the laser had been.

"You done messed up, boy."  He sneered and yanked the pipe towards him then kicked Kaldur in the midsection so hard, he flew a few feet, hitting the asphalt coughing.  White Manta exhaled, " I don't normally target civvies- not much game or fun in it. But you,"  He flipped the pipe in his hand, catching it, "For you, kid, I'll make an exception."

Just as White Manta approached Kaldur, a huge wave of water shoved the man into the ground, unrelentingly for a full two minutes before it let up.  White Manta, dazed and half conscious, laid in the puddle of water as another man appeared and handcuffed him. 

"Made it just in time." A woman dressed in a green scaled suit walked over to Aquaman. Her appearance and the man's caused Kaldur's eyes to widened even more.   Her blonde hair still wet with water hung clung to her golden brown skin. Familiar brown eyes lit with life from within.  "Thought you could use a hand."

"And I'm glad you did."  Aquaman said putting his arm around her, "I hope you were able to stop his plan?"

She laughed, an achingly familiar sound. "Of course, David. Calvin and I were almost bored, really."

"I've contacted the League." The other man, a darker brown than the woman but lighter than Aquaman, said to them.  His head bald, dressed in dark purple and blue suit with silver accents to it.  "Don't know why you don't kill him, sire, he's more trouble than he's worth."

Aquaman shook his head, " You don't do what's easy, you do what's right."  He told him but shifted his gaze to Kaldur who was still stunned by the appearance of all three together, "Are you alright, son?"  He offered him his hand, "That was quite brave of you."

"I-"  Kaldur shakily accepted it.  It was too strange of a scene.  In his world, it wouldn't be like this. In his world, his father was a criminal, and his foster father didn't have many connections to the king beyond that.  It took a minute before his mind jump started again to even allow words to flow.  "I couldn't stand by and let you fight alone."

"Brave, but stupid." Aquaman's face was grim for a moment, "You would've done better just to evacuate like veryone else. I could've handled it."  His brows rose, "Hey, aren't you the kid that nearly drowned not too long ago?"

"That's him?" the woman frowned leaning closer, " You know, he kind of favors you." She turned back to Aquaman, "Do you have an illegitimate child and didn't tell me about it?"

"Sha'lain'a, please." Aquaman shook his head.

Kaldur stood up, trying to think of what else to tell them. Should he say he's not from this place?  If he did, would he find a way back? Then again, would it only confirm that he's a normal human and everything was a coincidence?   The League would have some way of determining that, he was certain of it. 

"Excuse me." Kaldur fixed his pale eyes on the, "I may be in need of your help."

 

* * *

 

 

"So, tell me again why I'm combing the Bleed for a newly made alternative universe again?" Angie Spica, the Engineer, asked Jack once more. "Do you know how many there are?"

"Yeah," He answered looking at the red blood like vessel before him through the window of the Carrier that floated in the space between spaces of the Bleed. "That's why I asked the Doctor to help out so it wouldn't be too much of a burden."

"And why are we helping the League again? Just one more time so I got it right."  Shen, also known as Swift, the pilot of the Carrier and winged goddess of hunting, eyed him from her spot at Angie's side.  "Did they coerced you?"

The group fell silent for all of a full minute before the three burst into laughter.   

"That's a good one, Shen." Jack shook his head as more images of alternative earths appeared, " No, it's a favor. Once Midnighter said he owed the kid for something or another, I figured we better get on it."

"The Midnighter owing someone else a favor?"  Shen whistled, "That's a feat indeed."

"Not to mention that it makes the League in debt to us too, doesn't it, Jack?" Angie smirked, "I see what you did there."

Jack shrugged, "Can't blame a man from trying.  Anyway, if this is too much for you, Angie, we'll have Jenny Q give us a little boost."

Shen stared off for a moment, "You know, this may mean something bigger. If things can grab people from earth into the bleed and to other places... We might have a kidnapper on our hands."

"Or worse, a human trafficking issue on a multiverse scale." Jack sighed, " Yeah, we thought of that."

"So, where's the the Doctor?"

"You know him. Communing or getting high really." Jack walked off, "If you get a hit, call me."

 

In the Ancestral Garden, Jeroen- also known as the Doctor...mostly called the Doctor- combed through the energies he felt, searching out for one.  He didn't much care for it, to be honest. He'd rather be doing anything else but this.  

"What will you do, little doctor?" One of the first former Doctors asked him.  He's always been a bit of their spokesmen for things.  "If it turns out to be something you don't expect?"

"I'll do what I always do." He stared down the 'pond' with its' strange colors and creatures within. "And after that, I'm going to go get drunk."

Even as he said that, he felt it. Something on a similar plane sensed him.  It saw him and it's not supposed to see him.  

"You have company." The former Doctor said, pointlessly. "Perhaps you'll have to hold off on your celebrations for a time."

"Ya' think?"

Outside, where the Doctor's body sits in one of the main rooms, zoned out,  Apollo comes by. Shoulder length white hair in a mostly one piece white suit with a golden upside down triangular design with a white circle in the center, he was an impressive man to behold on looks alone.   Probably part of the reason why the Midnighter also loved him. 

"Doc?"  Apollo sighed in annoyance, "Great, he's blitzed out again."   The other part, his sparkling personality. "Just when we need him."

Suddenly, the Doctor gasped and looked up at him almost caught in the grips of a panic attack.  "We- he's in so much danger!"  He pushed himself up from where he was sitting, grabbing hold of Apollo's arm, "And he doesn't even know it."

 

* * *

 

 

This may have been the weirdest moment in Kaldur's life.  He's sitting in a mostly deserted diner, some one from the League had just picked up White Manta to take him to prison, with this world's Aquaman, Queen Sha'lain'a, and Aqualord.

This day's just a gift that keeps on giving.  For him, it needs to dial it back some, because even though he asked for this, the headache he was developing from it all was not as forgiving.  Still, if it got him some answers...

"So, you're telling us that you believe you're from an alternate world where you were half Atlantean and their Aquaman?" Queen Sha'lain'a Tilted her head a bit, "It sounds pretty far fetched to me."

"Agreed." Aqualord chimed in, " Are you sure you didn't hit your head too hard back there?"

"I assure you, that I'm as sane as you."  Kaldur insisted, even though he's not entirely sure if that's right. "I just- I just need to know if my conclusion is accurate.  If I'm indeed from another world, perhaps your magicians here can help send me back home."

Aquaman seemed to ponder this, "If we do this and it turns out you're just an ordinary person, what will you do?"

"I'll live my life." 

"I see."

Kaldur began to speak again but just as he does, the bell to the door sounded and Liam entered into the diner, "Jesus, Kal!"

"Liam?" Surprised, he rose from his seat, "What are you doing here? I thought you were at work?"

"I thought the same for you too." Liam turned to the heroes, "It seems you keep saving him."

"More like he saved me, this time." Aquaman smiled at him, " I suppose we should get going."

 Queen Sha'lain'a nodded in agreement, "We'll keep in touch."

The group left the two alone in the diner.  The bell chimed, sounding obstinately louder than before.  Kaldur felt something in him ease a bit at it.  In a way, it made him feel like he was actually doing something about his situation rather than allowing things to just happen to him.  The feeling died a little when he looked at Liam, who was none too pleased about anything. 

"Why didn't you call someone after you left the Curry's Lighthouse?" The words exploded from his mouth though the volume remained low. "We were worried sick about you, Kal. You can't keep doing this! You can't keep running half cocked after some- some dream!"

He felt bad.  He hadn't meant to do that. He just wanted some answers. Gazing at Liam, his...husband, he felt shame fill him for it.  He could've told him.  

"I'm sorry." He held a hand out to him. "Please, forgive me, Liam. It's just... I can't help it. I just want to know which of my memories are real so I can have some peace."

Liam held himself, looking down at Kaldur's hand then up into his pale sea colored eyes, "Then what?"

"Pardon?"

"Then what, Kal?" Liam repeated turning more towards him, "What happens if they're not real?"

Kaldur blinked a little but repeated the answer he'd given the others, "Then I'll live as I have been but with the peace of mind of knowing my delusions weren't real."

Again, the red haired man eyed him more, "And in the unimaginable event, that they are?  What'll you do? Will you leave this place?  Leave me?"

For that, he didn't have an answer for.  He'd always imagined that, if the world where he was a hero existed that he would return to it somehow.  That his place there meant something and was valued.  He's certain that it was, but there was no one actually waiting for him.  Especially, not the one he'd wanted. Striking blue eyes, red hair and beard came to mind.  Kaldur found himself staring at the ground.  That also put a dampener on his mood about it.  It meant facing some things he hadn't wanted to think about.

Why did he always do this?

"I see how it is."  Liam stormed by him.  

Kaldur caught sight of angry tears in his eyes.  "Liam!  Liam, please wait!"

"Find your own way home!" Liam shouted back continuing on. 

Watching him go, Kaldur was uncertain as to how to fix this.  If it was even needed to be fixed.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

It was a mistake. 

That's what Will thought when he booted up his laptop to get some work done for Bowhunter Security.  This was completely a mistake to let Lian go to Lynn's for the sleepover.  He hadn't counted on Artemis going off somewhere for some mission or another. He'd hoped she'd stick round so he could pick her brain about options on what to actually do. Now it's just him, in his own head alone at home.

Really, that's what's killing him right now. Even though he knows that's part of the Job sometimes. Sometimes weird shit happens even when you're not looking for it.  But he can't shake off feeling guilt about it.  About Kaldur.  It's not his fault, but he was there. He could've done something- even with his cloned body that's still a mortal human, he could've put a tracker on him or something. 

Something to give him a clue as to what to do next. 

As it stood, he was staring at endless requests for his security business but wasn't really seeing them at all.  His mind drifted back to other things, other times.  Times when he was still in the life like everyone else. Stake outs with Ollie and Dinah when really he should've been home that night, he's off with them putting criminals in their place.  The adrenaline rush of kicking some thug in the face with his boot and then punching another.  The Exhilaration of having defeated an opponent, particularly a strong one. 

He can't help but miss it a little.  Or a lot.  Maybe that's why he lets Dick use him for missions sometimes.  He missed the life that went with it.

Kaldur would've never approached him for that kind of thing.  He was too thoughtful for it. Nice. Even as Will thought of that, it made him chuckle just a bit as he recalled when he asked a favor of him to help in his usual roundabout way.  Kaldur had done so without being asked twice.   

Will sighed with the soft smile at that.  Kaldur was like that. When a friend needed him, he'd drop everything to help.  That was just his way.  He just gave too much sometimes. 

Far too much.  Will couldn't help but wonder if his friend didn't know how to save a piece of himself. He wondered about a lot of things that Kaldur never spoke about.  Like his time with Black Manta and being undercover.  He never spoke about but Will could see clearly how badly it had affected him when they met up again.   

He may have gotten better at asking for support, but Kaldur still gave too much of himself for the cause. Part of why Will had to let it go, even if he wanted to go back. To fight again-hopefully with Kaldur once more.

This is selfishness talking, of course. He wouldn't do anything to sacrifice Lian's peaceful life like that. 

Even if the long buried memory of it comes back to him and he remembers what it's like. Even if it wasn't really his life he was leading but that of the original Roy. It should've been Roy who felt that rush after that particular mission. That feeling when he turned to Kaldur, still Aqualad then, excitement danced along his nerves that turned into something else the longer he gazed at the blonde from behind the mask. It should've been Roy that had wondered if there was something to it. Something more to the change of mood then. 

But it hadn't been Roy.

It had been him.

It's a thought he hadn't dared explored or brought back to the surface til he saw Kaldur again. O

His lips thinned as he sat up and began working on something else. Digging for more information about this 'Bleed' and the Authority themselves.  He may not be a super hacker like Barbara or Tim, but he knew his way around it. 

His friend needed him and he was not going to sit around and do nothing. Something had to give.

Two hours into it, a glow came from the corner of his eye.  He stood, already throwing the fork he'd used for dinner at it. 

"Didn't ya mother ever teach you never to throw things at your guests, Red head?" An amused deep voice asked.

"Didn't yours ever tell you to knock?" Will narrowed his eyes at him.  "You're Midnighter, aren't you?"

"Guilty as charged." the black leather clad man grinned from underneath his mask. "If you're done tossing forks, we got something you might wanna hear."

Will didn't relax an inch. In fact, he stared down at the man, everything in the back of his head yelling quite loudly that the man was dangerous and deadly. Not to engage if he had to.  Still, he needed to know. 

"Alright. Want some coffee?"  He asked.

"Thought you'd never ask."

It helped calm him down, but he still didn't take his eyes off of him. He made two mugs and set one across from him and settled with his own. 

"So, what do you have?" Will asked, " I'm surprised you didn't go to Dick with this."

"Dick's not the only person involved." Midnighter stretched his long legs out, holding the mug of coffee, "Word is you and Aquaman were close once."  He eyed him through the mask, "And that's the sort of thing we need."

"What do you mean?" With an eyebrow raised, Will nursed his coffee.  A sinking feeling dipped in his stomach. 

"I'm gonna cut to the chase here." Midnighter set the mug down, "According to our dear Doctor, your pal got sucked into the Bleed and then, by some accident or miracle-which ever makes you feel better-, he got sucked into an undeveloped alternate dimension. One, which I might add, may have gotten attached to him."

Will froze, staring at him, "What do you mean, 'attached' to him? Is he stuck there? Trapped?  How do we even get him out? I mean-"

"All the above." the other man said and rolled his shoulders, " Personally, I hope it's aggressive as hell. I could use a work out, but from what we gathered we can find a way there and open a portal to it. It's just in the matter of finding someone that's close to him to use it."

"Why not any of the others?" The thought hadn't occurred to him til then, " I mean, he's fairly close to Artemis and M'gann and then his parents..."  He trailed off. 

"We're not going to go through the hassle of Atlantis' bullshit or the whole mess of tracking them down if we don't have to." Midnighter answered, "Dick says you two were best friends the last he's checked.  Is it still true or am I wasting my time?"

Will looked away. Other thoughts ran through his mind.  "You got any kids?"

"One." Midnighter had a faint smile, "Smart ass mouth on her, but she comes by it honestly. "

"How do you deal with raising her and doing what you do?" He asked. A part of him really wanted to know. The part that wanted to know if he could go back to that life and still raise Lian. "I've read your files. You're a killer, that's for certain, and you enjoy it. How do you get home in all that blood and go read her some bed time story?"

After a moment, Midnighter shrugged, "I just do. I love my work, I take care of her and my husband loves me. What more can I say?"  He stretched and go up, "Come or don't come along, it's your choice there. I was just here to make an offer. I'm sure others wouldn't mind taking your place."

Will watched him, slowly standing up from the chair. 

"Door." Midnighter called out and the golden rectangle portal appeared again. He stopped and glanced at Will. Eyes almost hidden underneath his black hood. "This life don't suit you. Not completely.  I can see it in your eyes.  you still want to be out there doing something more than a desk job."

Will's lips tightened, he was not going to be analyzed by some creep with a leather fetish. "Doesn't matter what you think."  After a beat, he got up too, "Fuck it, I'm coming along. Might as well see what the big deal is about you people."

Midnighter merely grinned, though it wasn't a nice one. 

"I assure you, nearly all rumors you've heard about us?  They're true."

* * *

 

 

Liam's still angry with him. 

He'd racked his brain for possible ways to make it up to him but there really wasn't a way to do that. He couldn't honestly say he'd stay if it turned out that his other memories were right and he didn't belong here. He had responsibilities.  He had a duty there that he couldn't fulfill if he stayed here.  It wouldn't be right.  Would it?

That last bit made him stop for just a moment.  A pause, really.  It's something he'd often do every now and then when it comes up.  When he starts questioning whether he wanted to keep doing what he did.  Kaldur didn't hate his work. In fact he found purpose in it. He found some reassurance that he was doing something  that could save lives or even change them.  Being the leader of the Justice league, he had been the face of it. He had inspired change in other's lives- he's had other heroes that had told him he inspired them to take up the call.

He'd also been to one too many funerals to those who'd heeded it and made the ultimate sacrifice to save the world or just one person.

In his mind's eye he could see them. The burial rites for those like Ted Kord, Jason Todd, and....Tula, to name a few. 

The faces of others when the funerals concluded and they still had a job to do. 

At home, with Liam upstairs in their bedroom, Kaldur paused in his line of thought about returning to that world. He paused because the other thought that always followed it would ask: 

_"Haven't I given them enough?"_

It's a thought he tried hard not to have. It betrayed everything he stood for.  It's a silent crack in the foundations of what he did and why he did it.  It's the first step some heroes make to retiring or to the dark path that his father had been on.

Hadn't he given the world enough?  Hadn't he sacrificed a chance for happiness for it? Had he not betrayed someone who cared deeply for him for the sake of the world? For the sake of Atlantis?  For the pride of his family and their safety?

Had he not given the world everything that he was to ensure it kept turning?  Couldn't he, this once, be selfish?

What did he have back there that wasn't here?  Poseidon's balls, he's got more here than he had back home.  His father wasn't a criminal but a hero- a well respected, honest to Atlan, hero with his mother- his mother who's a queen- and his step-father who helped out. All of them are on the side of good and justice. He had friends here.  A nice boss that cared about his well-being.  He had a lover that clearly cared and loved him well. 

What did his old life have for him?  

A criminal father.  Friends and family he barely sees because he worked too hard, too long in keeping the League going and keeping the world safe so they could be safe in it. Everyone he's ever felt romantic love for-

He stopped there.  He was not going down that path again. It was the path of self-pity.  It wasn't something he did. 

Yet....

yet his mind still replays the battles.  Still replays the trauma that he denied he had for so long. Even though...he's forgiven her. He's forgiven her because she didn't know. She hadn't had known. It wasn't M'gann's fault.  They should've told her about their plan. Maybe then she wouldn't have decimated his mind that necessitated another layer of lies that he'd have to tell. 

His hand curled into a fist, back towards the windows where a storm seemingly swept in from nowhere.  he keeps his eyes closed tightly, standing in the kitchen off from the stairs that lead up to the second floor of the house.  His stomach roils the way the ocean does in such a storm.  

"Stop this nonsense, Kaldur'ahm." He berated himself, "This is ridiculous. It's over. It has been a long time since. All has been forgiven."

But a corner of his heart, one he denies ever being there, grew ever so silently.  It's insidious in how it curled around  and sneaks into the rest.  Whispering:

_"Is it really?"_

His lips thinned and he shook his head, banishing it away.  At least, he hoped he did.  

He turned his attention to the more immediate problem.  Liam.  He needed to make it up to him. Or at least explain things properly. He had to.

He headed upstairs to the bedroom where Liam was facing away from him. The tension he felt seemed to flow away as he walked over to the bed and settled at Liam's side. 

"I didn't do it to hurt you, Liam." He began, watching his back.  He knew he wasn't asleep by the way he breathed. " I just wanted to know- for my own peace of mind- if this is truly my home and the others are just phantoms I'd just imagined because of the accident."  He looked ahead, " I don't know what the League will find, if they'll find anything at all.  It could be nothing."

"But you want to leave me." Liam's voice was soft. "You want to leave our home."

"It's not that." Kaldur shook his head and turned to him, though Liam still wasn't looking at him." I feel a sense of obligation- that if I don't belong here, then I should return before my existence causes problems. I had obligations there as well. A duty to my king and my team there.  I'm their leader, Liam. I cannot just..leave."

"Why not?" Liam finally turned over.  His eyes were still a little red but he just looked tired. "They can find another leader, Kal.  Your king can find another to fill in for you- but there's only ever you for me. To me, you can't be replaced."

It's true. He could be replaced if he truly wanted to give up the position there. "I have friends and family there."

"Do you have a lover there?"

".... No. I do not."

Liam sat up, then leaned over wrapping his arms loosely around Kaldur. Hugging him close, "Then stay with me. Stay here. You have friends and family here too. Don't you feel anything for us?"  He looked at him, aquamarine eyes glistened slightly with unshed tears. "Don't you love me?"

"Liam..."   Kaldur couldn't answer that.  Did he love him? It was impossible to tell, but he felt something for him. He felt the need to protect him, hold him, and- _A cocky smile. Orange-red hair. Blue eyes hidden by a mask that changed to a bearded face, and a little older.   A man that was happy with himself. At peace with his life._

He needs to let go of that.

"Stay." Liam whispered in his ear, his hands made themselves busy slipping under Kaldur's shirt, running up his abs.  Warm flesh shivering at the cool hands.  "Stay, and I will love you more than they ever will." 

His lips pressed against Kaldur's. Soft and gentle at first that grew more insistent as the hands continued to strip him of his clothes.  

"I will treasure you."

He felt, more than heard these words. He did not resist but slowly gave in to Liam. 

"I will always be right here for you."

Who had been there for him? Days when he yearned to speak to someone, but there was no one to talk to? No one gave him any advice that was truly helpful.  They always..always...

His mind drew blank as sensations overtake him and all he could do was look to Liam.  Liam had always been there. It was Liam that had taken care of him when he needed him the most.   He couldn't think of anyone else but of the man that was currently straddling his waist.  Liam pressed a hand to his chest, both their breathing erratic at this point, but he leaned over. Lips barely parted. 

"I will always love you, Kaldur'ahm." 

Kaldur was lost.  He drowned in pleasure and heat. In being one with another person.  A person that told him plainly, that they loved him.  Loved him more than anything else.  He felt it.  He felt it in every caress and kiss that was given to him by Liam.  

Liam needed him.  Needed him in a way the others had not.  

He's not sure how he knew that, but he sensed it. 

In that moment, the little corner of his heart that whispered to him, grew. 

And he could not find it in himself to fight it.


	6. Chapter 6

Aboard the Carrier on deck, Will exited the portal but found more familiar faces there than not. He looked over as Midnighter followed behind him. 

"I thought you said you didn't want to bother searching for the others?"

Midnighter just grinned but went on to his husband, "Rule one, kid: I lie."

"Wonderful." Will muttered as he headed over to the other four that were there. Artemis was still dressed as Tigress. M'gann was in her uniform and as per usual, Conner was in his usual black t-shirt with quarter sleeves, black cargo pants and boots, with bicker gloves.  Next to them was Dick as Nightwing.  "Guess I should've brought my suit."

"Don't worry about it." Nightwing moved over and tossed a bag at him, "Figured you'd run off in a hurry."

His brows rose, "When did you get this?"

Nightwing just smiled, "Get dressed. We're going to be debriefed in a bit."

With a nod, Will moved off to do so.  It didn't take too long.  He was suited up as Red Arrow once more. The feel of the gloves felt almost natural as his own skin now.  He inspected his bow and then arrows, hoping he had enough when heard someone standing outside.

"Ready there, buttercup?" Midnighter, of course.  Though he wasn't alone. Apollo seemed to be vaguely amused, standing beside him. "Or do you need five more minutes to powder your nose."

Red Arrow shook his head, pulling the quiver behind him and secured his bow. He walked by them but glanced at Apollo, " How do you stand him?"

"I don't know." Apollo's smile widened, "I suppose it's his smile. Very photogenic."

"Cover of GQ." Midnighter did not help this. 

Red Arrow just let out an exasperated sigh. This was worse than when Wally was alive with Dick. "Anyway, where's the meeting being held?"

"This way." Apollo gestured for him to follow them through the halls of the Carrier.

As they passed by the windows that almost reached to the ceiling, Red Arrow paused, staring out at the red ether beyond it. Like space, it stretched forever.  An undefinable size.  It made him feel insignificantly small in the grand scheme of things.  There were infinite alternative earths and dimensions out there. 

"And he's in one of them..." He found himself saying. "Somewhere, out there, he's in one of those worlds."

"Yeah." Midnighter stared out there too, "We'll find him."

With nothing more to say, the three men went to the conference room that the Authority used for their briefings.  A large round table sat at the center of the room with a window that showed the Bleed to one side. Everyone else was already there, waiting on them. 

"Now that we're all here." Angie began and a screen appeared of Earth, but it was different.  Mostly covered in water with a large piece of land at the center of it. "This is the Alternate Earth we think that Aquaman maybe in."

"Figures that it's mostly water." Shen smirked. 

"Our readings show that there is sentient life here. Cities and the like both on land and within the sea itself. Like in our own world, there's super-powered humans here." Angie gestures in the air and another screen appeared that looked an awful lot like their League but not quite.  "And also like our world, they have a Justice League of their own called simply the League of Justice."

"How original." Tigress couldn't help herself either, "Do you think they'd present a problem?"

"Possibly." Angie folded her arms, "There's no Green Lantern analog in that dimension so we may have lucked out there."

Miss Martian leaned back in her chair, " You mentioned that this alternative earth- or dimension- is underdeveloped."  She gestures with a hand, "I looks pretty developed to me. What's missing here?"

This time, Jack spoke up, "Unlike a lot of the others, this one seems completely empty of any other worlds within it. It's just that solar system and enough stars for the milky way but that's about it. There's nothing beyond it."

"So, it lacks the maturity of our own world." Nightwing steeples his fingers together, elbows on the table as he leaned forward in thought. "Or, it could be that whatever's running the show there just didn't want to add more."

"That's what we thought." Shen walked over to one of the screens. "The working theory here is that whatever created this world, did so forcibly.  It's not a natural alternate dimension at all. Someone made it.  We don't know who or why, but it looks like Aquaman may have accidentally stumbled into it."

"And what's more," Angie continued where the winged woman left off, "it may be keeping him hostage there."

"Hostage, how?" Red Arrow didn't like this. He didn't like any of what he's starting to piece together. Something that he hoped wasn't going to be true. 

"Well, as we said, this place isn't fully developed, so there's actually a low level of magic." Angie pulled up the energy readings she had, "It's the one thing we should all be grateful for because it made finding him easier. But there's something siphoning that magic to further develop that world."

"Someone's using Kaldur like a battery." Superboy's face was unreadable. "I don't suppose you know who it is?"

"No." Angie turned to him, "And we called you all here specifically because you're close to Aquaman. Due to your ties, the spell the Doctor's worked up will allow you to blend in with this world.  After all, he considers you his friends, why would you be viewed as hostiles to be taken down."

"I see." Red Arrow pondered on something a little while longer, "What happens if we find him and managed to get him out?"

"Considering the levels of energies and magic of that place?" Angie tilts her head. The metallic armor that coated her body shone in the light, "Possibly, it'll cease to exist."

"That'll kill everyone there!" Miss Martian stood, "We can't do that."

Nightwing's face became a little grim, " Unless we find another power source for it or give up on Kaldur."

"And we're not giving up on him." Tigress's eyes narrowed just a touch with determination. "He wouldn't give up on us, either."

"He also wouldn't sacrifice however many lives there are for his own, either." Superboy pointed out. 

"He would." She hated to agree, but Tigress knew her friend well. 

"So, what would you like to do?" Shen asked them, "We can still door you all back home and declare Aquaman a loss for everyone."

The five that knew him, looked among each other. Trying to figure out what would be the right course of action in this.  This was a rescue mission to save him but at the cost of a possible thousands if not millions of people on that island.  It didn't sit well with any of them. 

"Oh," Angie's brows rose, "I forgot to mention that time in that world is faster than our own. The Carrier is anchored to our Earth so time passes here as it does there."

Red Arrow could had a sinking feeling about this, "How fast?"

"For every three of our days, it's two weeks there."

"Two weeks!" His eyes widen, "He's been missing for almost a week in our time!"

"That means he's been there for nearly two months." Miss Martian muttered, "If we spend any more time waiting, he could be there for almost a year."

"We have to find a way to get him out and to keep that world spinning." Nightwing stood and went over to the Angie, "Think you guys could do us one more solid?"

Jack just smiled leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head as he regarded him, "And keep the Justice League in our debt?  Sure."

* * *

 

 

Liam's in a good mood. In fact, he's down right chipper as he puts the sausage and bacon on to fry, humming along with a song from the radio.  There's a reason for it. The night before, he'd shown and confirmed his love for Kal and Kal had accepted it. Accepted that his place would be here, with him.  It made everything worth it.  Everything worth while, really.   

Aquamarine eyes looked out across the kitchen to the window outside showing a view of the side garden on their lawn.  It, in itself, wasn't an unusual sight. Green thick grass, beautiful flowers and bushes that decorated it. Liam preferred the 'wild meadow' look that, to the untrained eye, it seemed to be growing wild but was actually cultivated carefully to appear that way.  He thought it added some charm to their quaint home.

Today, there were more flowers than there had been yesterday. All traces of the storm that had suddenly blown in, were gone.  Nothing but sunshine with very few clouds in the sky. 

Liam's eyes glowed briefly, a white light that consumed all else.  His dimension was small, albeit hapharzardly put together, but it was solid and it would last.  Thanks to Kaldur'ahm, it would last even longer than before. 

Thanks to him and his magic, this world could live. It would expand with more details of life than whatever Liam could've imagined on his own. Stealing bits and pieces from other worlds had been too taxing.  Liam had to concede that he hadn't been strong enough to continue like that. He needed someone else. 

He needed Kaldur'ahm.

Though, of course, it wasn't like he meant to take him. The man was simply at the wrong time and place and had fallen into his world in the midst of making it. Now that he's here, Liam couldn't imagine giving him up.

Not to anyone.

The scent of burning meat startled him out of his trance. 

"Oh-crap!" He managed to save the bacon and sausage at least. Plating the half burnt bacon and fully cooked sausage on a plate he had set aside with paper towels in it to soak up the grease.  "I'm sure I can salvage this."

He turned to call upstairs, "Kal!  Kal!  Breakfast is almost ready!"

He didn't hear as so much sensed the man getting up from the bed. He must've been awake for a while; is what Liam assumed and went back to make some waffles to go with the breakfast, and some coffee. 

Yes, he's happy. He's ridiculously happy in a way he never felt before. It made him wonder if this emotion was something he was meant to feel or not. 

His mind drifted back a bit, waiting on the waffles to cook.  They never said anything, but then again, they never do. Whatever others were like, Liam didn't know.  He had been created, then left to his own devices, floating in an endless void that slipped into a red one. One that held countless worlds and lives within.  He never learned the name of the place, but he had known he didn't want to be alone.

Creating this world had been his effort to not be by himself. Craving another's existence besides himself. Certainly, he could've simply existed in those other worlds, but they weren't for him.  There's horrible things in those worlds. Things he didn't quite understand but had known they would try to harm him in some way. 

There had simply been no other choice but to create his own. 

It'd taxed him too greatly. He simply didn't have enough of anything. Energy, magic, the stuff to create more. It simply wasn't in him.  Often times, Liam wondered if those that created him had done so on a lark. Or if they hadn't quite finished with him before their attentions turned elsewhere.

He wondered if he'll ever meet them.

Then, he turned his attention back to finishing breakfast for Kaldur. He sung quietly along with the song on the raido.  He doesn't actually know where the song came from. He's not sure if it's from Kaldur or one of the others that accidentally ended up in his world while he was making it.  The words are strange on his tongue, their meaning he could almost understand. 

" _You were the better part_ ," He sang," _Of every beating heart I_ -" 

There was a knock at the door.  Frowning, Liam turned off the music and went too the door.

"Yes?"  He looked up and froze. This wasn't right. 

In front of him were five people, dressed as heroes, standing on his front porch.

The one in red cleared his throat and asked, "Hi. Is-um- Kaldur'ahm home?"

This wasn't right. They were not part of this world.  Immediately, Liam rejected them from it.  A light surrounded them, and the bald one tried to do something but it was no use. Not against him. Not now. 

" _ **Leave!**_ " His mortal heart hammered against his chest in fear. Fear that feels even more real now than ever before.   He hurled them out of his dimension.  Hoping, now, that they wouldn't be able to come back. 

It exhausted him to do that. His body sways just a bit as he closed the door and sagged against it. 

"Liam?"  

He looked up. Kaldur was dressed, half on the steps with a shocked expression.

"Liam!" Kaldur hurried to his side, worry etched on his face, "What happened? Are you alright?"

He must never know. 

"Sorry, I just..got tired." Liam said softly with a strained smile, "Help me?"

"Of course, my love." Kaldur slipped his arms around him, helping him to the couch, "Don't worry about breakfast.  I'll finish it for you."

Liam watched him go, the smile faded from his face.  He cannot lose him.

He will not lose him to anyone.

* * *

 

 

They had a plan. The five of them- Nightwing, Tigress, Red Arrow, Miss Martian, and Superboy- would go down there and make contact with the League of Justice first and foremost.  The reasoning, at that point, was to keep the damage and fighting to a minimum.  Which meant taking a chance on revealing to whatever thing had Kaldur their existence in the place. 

The meeting went oddly smooth. Well, after they had stopped freaking out for all of three minutes about seeing their arch-nemesis as the heroes they fought.  Especially, Superboy had to restrain himself seeing Lex Luthor, of all people, dressed as Superman- with red hair. Actual, honest to gods hair.  

It was discerning.

Even Nightwing's shaken a little seeing 'Batman' not only smiling, but friendly. More so than usual. It hadn't taken him long to figure out that this Batman could be the Joker of his world- well his double.  It made him shiver at the thought.  

However, Aquaman- this world's Aquaman at least- seemed to be the spokesman for the League of Justice. 

"It seems you're not the first with such a story." He considered them, idly stroking his beard for a moment then nodded.  "We'll help you. Though, all we can offer is some information to help your cause."

Miss Martian shifted her wait. The woman she saw may be green but her facial features read 'Queen Bee' all over it. Still, she calmed herself enough to smile at them, even as her insides roiled with latent anger. One that wouldn't do them any good here. 

"Thank goodness." She said, "We need to know who else doesn't belong here.  We're looking for our friend who may have been brought here by accident."

"There's only one that fits such a description." Queen Sha'lain'a steps forward and constructs his image from water with great detail. "He's a young man that my husband has saved before. He came to his aide against White Manta."

"White...Manta?" Nightwing exchanged looks with Tigress.

"Yes, he's a villain that's most active in these parts." She went on, "We tried to assess whether the young man speaks the truth or was merely confused.  You could imagine our further confusion that when we ran a scan on his data and DNA, that it came back in quite an unexpected way."  She gave Aquaman a look, then back at them. "It makes sense, now, that he must come from your world."

"Do you happen to know where he lives?" Red Arrow didn't like being here. In fact, the entire thing set him on edge. He hadn't thought this world to be so...nice. Something about it felt off to him but he couldn't say what exactly.  He just wanted to get to Kaldur and get the hell out of this place. 

"Of course, we'll give it to you." Wonder Woman pushed her glasses up and moved to do so. " If you need any further assistance, don't hesitate to call us."

Once the team left the Justice Hall, Tigress exhaled loudly then asked, " I cannot be the only one that was majorly creeped out here, am I?"

"Nope."  Nightwing looked at the address they were given. "Thankfully, the place we need to go is only eight miles from here."

 "That seems rather convenient, doesn't it?" Red Arrow muttered to himself. 

"Maybe."  Superboy shrugged, "It could be because of him and his memories of the Hall of Justice?"

"It seems likely." Nightwing kept walking, "It shouldn't take too long."

Miss Martian shifts her appearance to appear a little more human looking when they passed by a group of people.  Superboy raised a brow at her.

// _"I just didn't want any more attention being drawn to us than it already has."_ // She explained to him through telepathy. // _" Conner, this place is so...peaceful."_ //

// _" Yeah, I noticed."_ // He replied watching some kids play while they walked down the street. // _" A little too peaceful."_ //

"Would either of you like to share with the rest of the class?" Red Arrow had been walking beside them. Though they couldn't see his eyes, the way his head was tilted and his lips gave it away. 

"It's nothing." Superboy watched as a bird flew overhead, "Just observing the place. It feels similar to Earth, but..."

"Something feels off." He supplied, " Yeah, I'm getting that too.  Don't like this place too much. I just hope we can find Kaldur and get the hell out of here."

Tigress had been silent for a while during this exchanged as they headed up a hill towards the house in question. Her mind wandered a little about something that hadn't quite occurred to her. 

"Guys," She began as they paused at a crosswalk, " What would happen if he doesn't want to come back?" She looked at them.  It hadn't crossed her mind that he wouldn't, but...

"Of course he would." Nightwing shifted, but he had to admit to himself it was a possibility. A rather bleak one at that. " I mean, why would he stay?"

"I don't know, Dick." Miss Martian glanced around then gestured vaguely with her hands at the place, "I mean, it's peaceful. He's not in charge of anything or has to really worry about fighting the good fight.  Plus, his family are on the side of good."

"So is Lex Luthor, but you don't see me looking for a house to buy here." Red Arrow said flatly. When both Tigress and her glared at him, he just sighed. "Fine. I get it.  It's an ideal place for him."  He finally got a good look at the neighborhood that didn't actually have many homes there.  Looking around, he thought it fit Kaldur a lot in some ways. Close enough that he could travel with ease to visit, but far enough that he still retained some of his privacy. 

Or if he wanted to isolate himself.  Red Arrow's mind cheerfully reminded him.  

It didn't matter. They were here and they were close to getting him back.  In front of them was a small two-story house with a rather almost wild looking yard of lush green grass and flowers. There's a tree in the back, from what he could see, and a fence that surrounded the property. 

"This should be the place." Nightwing told them, looking from the map to the house. "Be ready for anything."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Tigress followed behind Red Arrow, who'd moved up towards the walkway to the front door.

"This place is nice." Miss Martian comments turning to look out over the hill towards the ocean, slowly reverting back to her usual form. "Honestly, I think I would've loved a place like this."

Superboy raised a brow at her, "Should I start house hunting again?"

"What? No!" She giggled just a bit before stopping, "Something's coming."  Her eyes focused in on the door, "And I don't know if it's friendly."

The door opened and revealed, a handsome freckled faced red haired man wearing casual clothes underneath a white apron.  His aquamarine eyes seemed to just register that they were there and he seemed to be in shock. 

One thing that Nightwing noticed was that the guy looked awfully familiar. 

"Hi. Is-um- Kaldur'ahm home?" Red Arrow asked.  He couldn't believe he just said it like that.  His mind must've completely blanked out. Then again, he couldn't think of any other way of asking for him that didn't involve a fight. 

Obviously, there was no way to even do this right.  Especially since the guy screamed at them to leave and then they were 'thrown' physically back out of the world.  At least, that's the simplest way to explain it.  The hard way, to him, was more so that something 'grabbed' him and squeezed his body too tightly.   He could feel Miss Martian had tried to free them but not before they were flung back out into the Bleed. 

Somehow, they could breathe there but they were floating on all different directions. 

"Mayday!" He could hear Nightwing yell into a comlink, "We need help!"

Suddenly a golden portal opened up for them.  A door.  Out of it flew Apollo and Swift to round them up and take them back aboard the Carrier. 

"What happened?" Jack walked in, "I just got back from the Doctor saying you guys got evicted."

"That's putting it mildly." Nightwing just collapsed into one of the chairs there. "Thanks for the save."

"No problem." Apollo said cheerfully. 

Red Arrow wanted to glare at him, but he felt too exhausted to do so. Something about that was draining.

"M'gann!" Superboy held Miss Martian close, "Are you alright?"

Leaning against him, grateful for the support, she nodded slowly, "I will be. But whatever that guy was, he was powerful and he did not want us there."

"Ya think?" Tigress pulled her mask off and rubbed her eyes, "I think we found the thing that's holding Kaldur captive."  She looked up at them, "And I'm pretty sure that guy hates us."

 


	7. Chapter 7

He's worried about Liam.   The day after he collapsed, Liam came down with a terrible illness that none of the doctors had a clue about.  The best, they had said, was to let him rest at home.  So, that's what they did.  Kaldur waited on him hand and foot, hoping he'd be fine with the home remedies he's managed to remember and fine.  Liam had seem so listless for a bit, it worried him until the red head had responded to him. He hovered nearby but had gone about the day cleaning the house and keeping up with minor things he recalled Liam having complained about weeks before that needed to be done. 

He hoped Liam would get better soon.  He had an uneasy feeling that something bad would happen if he remained ill for too long.  With him sleeping upstairs, Kaldur decided to go out and get a little yard work in. The grass was too high and he knew Liam liked it to look while but there had to be some measure of control with this aesthetic he was going for.  So, Kaldur went to the shed in the back and pulled out the weed whacker to take some of the stuff off the top.  He wished he'd invested in some better tools but supposed he'll just have to work on that. 

Meticulous as ever, Kaldur started from the backyard and worked his way around the house to the front.  The sun beat down on him as he did this, finding some enjoyment in his work.  Shaping the grass to what he liked and getting rid of the bits he didn't like.  It kept his mind off of other things.  The other world he may potentially be from.  When he stopped for a break, he realized he hadn't thought about that place in a while. 

"Maybe it really was a dream?" He mused, then continued on with his work.

At least, he would've if he hadn't stepped on something in the grass. Frowning, Kaldur bent over, fishing out from the long grass a single red arrow. 

"An arrow?"  He turned it over in his hands, but wasn't actually seeing it. 

No, he saw something else- someone else.  Someone he cared about and shared missions with. A person he was suppose to-

"Kal?"  

Like a guilty child caught with something he shouldn't have, Kaldur hid the arrow behind his back and smiled at Liam a little worriedly, " You're not supposed to be up."

"I couldn't stay asleep." Liam said leaning against the door frame, "What're you doing?"

"some yard work." Kaldur slid the arrow along his side where Liam couldn't see it. "I know how you like it wild, but we can't let it get too wild."

Liam looked better to him, but was still too pale.  He wondered if maybe he should've ignored everyone and taken him to the hospital. 

After a moment of consideration, Liam seemed to nod a little, " True. I guess it's for the best."  He turned, " I'll go lie on the couch for a while. At least have a change of scenery."

"I'll be in, in a minute." Kaldur called after him.  

Once Liam was back inside, he looked at the arrow again.  He knew, with a certainty that the sun would rise, that the arrow wasn't from this world.  It was from the other world that he belonged to.  

"Will." He looked up at the sky as if it would reveal everything to him. "It can't be you, can it?"

* * *

 

 "Ok," Nightwing began after they'd had time to rest and get their second wind back, "That, admittedly, was a bad shot."

"We were thrown out of another dimension, Dick." Tigress raised a brow. "A bit more than a 'bad shot', I'd think."

"Fine, it was terrible." he rolled his eyes, "But, we still have a chance."  He looked towards Angie, " What's the likelihood of us succeeding this time?"

Angie, the Engineer, consulted the screens for a while before answering, "Better than they were. When it threw you out, it used up a lot of energy.  That's going to take time to recover."  She turned to them, " Unfortunately, that being's made it so that only a limited amount of people can get through now."

Nightwing frowned, " How many?"

"One."

Red Arrow sucked his teeth at that, " Doesn't sound good to be by yourself down there."  He stood up, "But if someone has to go back, I'll go."

"You can't go back by yourself, Will!" M'gann objected, "It's dangerous! Who knows what else will happen there."

"M'gann's right." Conner still kept an arm around her but addressed them, " We need to find a way to open that place up more."

"The only way you'll be able to do that is if you weaken that being more." Angie told them, "Its the one holding the keys to the door. If you want more people, you're either going to have to break open that dimension, potentially killing that world or you're going to have to damages the person trying to keep you out."

Nightwing stared at her then turned in frustration, running his hand through his hair. He racked his brain for a different plan. A more useful one that could get Kaldur out of there and back to their dimension without killing potential millions of others. But how could they do that? Just-

"I could go." Midnighter offered cracking his knuckles casually enough, " I'm sneaker than twinkle toes over there." He nodded at Nightwing, " And I haven't been there.  It wouldn't know to look for me."

" I think you just want a chance to punch someone in the face." Apollo smiled, knowing him well. "Can't blame you. I would too."

"Look, unless anyone else has a better idea, I'm going to go." Red Arrow announced again, "We don't need to kick anyone's face in.  I'm sure if we just talk to Kaldur he could convince the guy to chill."

"Spoil sport." 

Red Arrow ignored him and went on, "I know what I'm doing, alright?"

"If you say so." Shen's brows rose, "I'm just here to enjoy the show when you're wrong."

"Well,"  Will moved taking off his mask, "I'm not. Just get the door ready. I'll be there in a few."

Nightwing frowned watching him go before he moved to follow him out to the corridor.  "Hey, Will."  He jogged to catch up to him, " Are you sure about this? I mean that guy could probably kill you before you can even blink."

"I realize that." Will said, going back to the room where he dressed. He moved to put his civilian clothes on, "It won't happen."

"How do you know that?"  

"Kaldur's there. He wouldn't jeopardize anything to lose him, right?" Will buttoned up his shirt. "Besides, if anything goes sour, I'll just grab Kaldur and he might get tossed out too. Then we all win and go home."

Nightwing's lips pressed thin before he asked, " How sure are you that Kaldur'll come back, then? I mean- that guy could have him under a spell or whatever mind-control thing that's going on in that world."

Will sighed deeply before turning to Nightwing, " I understand your concern, Dick, I really do. But it's something I have to do.  He's my best friend and I can't leave him like that."

"He's my friend too, you know." 

"Yeah, I know." Will walked by him and then paused, "I'm still the one that's going after him this time."

Nightwing stared at him, "I know he'd tell you this was a stupid idea."

"Maybe."  Will acknowledge but still left all the same.

It was Nightwing's turn to just sigh as he watched his friend go.  Another friend that may potentially not come back too.  There are times, like this one, where Dick wondered if making and having friends was worth the trouble and heartache. He shook the thought off and went to plan a back up just in case things went south again.

* * *

 

 

Lunch had been a simple affair the day after he found the red arrow. Liam had eaten then went to bed afterwards. Kaldur was pleased to see he was getting better by the day.  Soon, he'll be able to do things like he used to.  It's a relief.  Enough so, that Kaldur felt that it would be alright to finish cleaning up and taking a walk to the beach.  It wasn't too far- just a good twenty minute walk, really.  The distance didn't bother him as he wanted to get in as much exercise as possible.  Besides, it felt good to move around a bit. 

He left Liam a note as to where he'd be, then set off on foot towards the beach.  As he walked, he contemplated the arrow he had found. There was no mistaken it- it's one of Will's arrows. Now how it ended up in this dimension, Kaldur didn't know. It puzzled him and he wondered if there was a hole somewhere to his world from here. 

If there was...

"Maybe I can find it?" He muttered to himself and stopped at the crosswalk.  

He was so busy thinking about finding that, that he didn't notice when someone stopped next to him until that person cleared their throat.  Kaldur turned his head and froze.  It wasn't possible.  It couldn't be- but it was.

"Will?" Kaldur's not sure if he's right or not, but it very much looked like Will Harper's standing next to him. "Is that you?"

"In the flesh." Will smiled, "I came to take you home."

"Home?" Kaldur looked ahead and walked forward when the light changed for them to walk. "I am home."

"Bullshit." Will kept up with him. "If you were, you wouldn't know who I am."

"Fine, but what are you doing here?"

"Again, trying to rescue you from another dimension where some being is using you like a battery to power this place." Will told him flatly. "You'd think you'd be a little more grateful."

"I am, for your concern, but I'm fine."

Frowning, Will grabbed hold of his arm, " Hold on.  Didn't you hear a damn word I said?"  Something wasn't right about this. Why was he so... nonchalant? "An alien is using you for a battery to fuel his dream world- and you're ok with this?"

Annoyance crossed Kaldur's features as he jerked his arm away from him. "No, I'm saying that I'm fully capable of handling this situation."

"Oh, really?"  Will crossed his arms, having found his own spark of anger in this. "And how are you handling it, Kaldur? Because from where I stand, you're playing directly into that thing's hands."

"His name is Liam." Kaldur eyed Will, "He wouldn't do anything to hurt me and I resent that you believe that."

"He's stealing your magic and energy to keep this place alive! He's literally sapping away at your life!" That's when a chill went down Will's spine as he stared at his long time friend.  Something that he hadn't really seen but knew intimately well as it's happened before to others.  He's read about it in old case files but he never really thought he'd see it.  "You want to die here, don't you?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Will." Kaldur scoffed  and walked on, "I have no more a desire to die as you."

"I did, once."

Kaldur stopped then turned towards him. "And because once you had, you think I do too?"

"You're acting strange, you don't care what that thing's doing to you, and knowing you as I do, Kal, you're going to say it's better this way." Will folded his arms, purposefully walked towards him, " I know you. You're going to turn this into some self-sacrificing nonsense you usually do."

Pale eyes glittered with anger, "It's self-sacrificing nonsense when it's of no use to you but self-less when it is."  Whatever emotions Kaldur had bottled up and ignored for the sake of doing the right thing started to spill out of his carefully crafted mask. 

"It is when you're obviously being influenced by an alien life-form to give up your life like that."

Kaldur tilted his head up, as Will was still a little taller than him, a scowl appeared as he moved toward him and pointed a finger in his chest, "What I choose or not choose to do with my life should be by my own discretion that you're obviously ignoring.  If I wish to stay here, I will, if I do not, then I will not. It is that simple, William."   A ball of anger sat tight in his chest as he went on, "I knew things weren't right in this world and Liam- I knew something was amiss.  But he's been nothing but kind and loving towards me.  He needs me the way you and the others do not."

"Seriously?" It was a choked surprised laugh. He couldn't believe his ears. Will could not believe that Kaldur would be this...blind. It had to be on purpose. There was just no way he'd act like this otherwise. " Is this all for a little piece of ass? Is that it?  For god's sake, Kaldur, if that's all it was, why didn't you just actually go _find_ someone? Why-"

Kaldur's hand fell back to his side and curled into a fist. "Taipei."

Instantly, Will regretted saying anything and he looked away. It's something that had been between them for a long time. The 'almost' that they'd pretend didn't happen in each other's company but stayed in the back of their minds like a shadow. A possibility neither wanted to admit was there.  It had been a fun time but it ended  in a way that left them both rethinking their friendship in a different light.  But for the sake of what they were doing at the time, it had to take a back seat and then it just never came back up.  

He'd no idea that it stayed fresh on Kaldur's mind.  Then again, he should've known.  Kaldur always was the brooding one between the two of them. Must've gotten it from hanging around Batman too long. Still, he had to do something to get him out of here.  To make sure it really was Kaldur talking and not this alien-influenced dimension. 

"I'm sorry." Will said after a while, "I just-"

"Don't."  He also looked off. "Just, don't Will. " 

"Kaldur."

"Don't make me feel more foolish than I've already had been." With his back straight, he turned to go. "Just leave me alone."

Will watched him, not sure what else he could say. Though he sighed softly, "I'm sorry, Kal. I can't.  Door."

Just as Kaldur took another step a golden rectangle appeared beneath him. A shocked sound slipped from his mouth before he fell in.  Will took another look around before he followed suit into the portal that closed up behind him. 

Elsewhere, Liam's eyes snapped open at the loss of Kaldur in his world.  His body glowed, changing into a being of pure light before he vanished. He was not going to lose him. 

Even if he must tear the entire Bleed apart for him, he'll get Kaldur back.

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

When Will got back to the Carrier, it was utter chaos. In the short time it had taken for him to be transported on board, Kaldur had completely and utterly gone berserk. It only reinforced his suspicions that his friend had been heavily influenced by that thing.  From what he saw, Kaldur's eyes were glowing a pale color as he had already taken down Miss Martian, preceded to throw an electrified shocked Conner at Dick.   

It seemed his aquatic nature and powers- whatever was left of them- came back as well.  It also occurred to Will in that moment that Kaldur didn't know how to get off the ship, either.  Points in their favor.  But not for long if they couldn't get him subdued. 

"Kal-Kaldur!" Artemis had abandoned her mask, facing off with him. "Look, I know you're in there. You have to fight it!"

His face remained twisted in fury, magic and electricity danced along his arms, wrapping around his hands. It seemed almost as if he couldn't hear her. Artemis fair better against Kaldur's attacks.  She managed to dodge them and parry back with a nightstick she'd brought along but it wasn't too much good when he sweeps her off her feet, planting a foot at her abdomen and shocked her to unconsciousness as well. 

"I see now why he's the leader of the League." Shen muttered to Jack, "He's not even conscious of this, is he?"

"Scanners indicate that he's under some sort of mind control. Whoever is controlling him only knows his basics." Angie supplied then looked over at Midnighter and Apollo, "Do not break him and don't kill him. We don't need the League wanting our heads for killing their leader. He's Aquatic, so Apollo use that to knock him out."  She turned, "I'm going to prepare the medbay."

Midnighter gave a dramatic sigh, "Fine, if I must."  But it didn't stop him from rushing in first to engage with him.  Even as he fought, he couldn't help but feel a little dissatisfied that it wasn't the actual Aquaman fighting here. He'd much rather have that sort of fight than a puppeteer one.  As he had been thinking that, letting his mind wander just a bit, Kaldur got at least a punch in, breaking his nose. 

Oh right, Atlantean. Super-strength.  Not that it was a problem.  Midnighter and Apollo both heal faster than anyone around.  It'd be fixed in like, a day, at most.  Still doesn't mean he didn't enjoy cutting him in the side as retribution. 

"Midnighter!" He heard Red Arrow call, " Do. Not. Break. Him."

"Fine."  Then again, it wasn't like Aquaman here was some godawful person either. The man was a boy-scout from what he could tell.  With a well aimed kick, he tossed him at his husband.  "Apollo, cook the fish."

The moment Apollo grabbed him, it was game over for Kaldur. The god-like man was not only bigger but taller than him. And with him not in his own right mind, efforts of escape or attack went unheeded.  Apollo heated himself up like the sun he walked on daily.  Rendering Kaldur sweaty and gasping for air.

The glow in his eyes flickered but his voice, which didn't quite sound like him, spoke, " ** _WHEN_**   _ **I FIND HIM,I WILL DESTROY YOU**_!"

Will stormed over, as close as he could and grabbed Kaldur's face between his hands, ignoring how hot his skin was, forcing him to look at him. "We will _never_ let you have him! Give it up."

The being, using Kaldur, roared it's rage at him before the finally died out and the body went limp.

"You can turn it down now." Midnighter walked over to his god of a husband with a hum, " I think dinner's ready."

 

When Kaldur woke, the light from the Carrier's medbay blinded him, forcing him to shut his eyes tightly against the light.  He wasn't entirely sure where he was, but he knew he wasn't home. He wasn't heading to the beach.  Or in the parking lot with Will and Lian about to help Will with some cooking ideas. He was decidedly in neither of those places and wondered if there was a way for him to get back. 

Liam'll be-

"You're awake."

He turned his head and spotted Will sitting  next to him in a chair. "I am."   His throat is dry.  The more he took stock of his body and how it felt, the more he could feel the difference in himself. Too warm, needed a swim soon enough but nothing he couldn't survive for the moment.  "Where am I?"

"The Carrier."  Will got up, then fetched him a glass of water from the table side. It was still cold, which was good. He offered it to Kaldur, whom sat up to take it.  "The Authority was good enough to help us find you.  What all do you remember?"

Grateful for it, Kaldur took the water and drank it down nearly in one gulp.  The water helped clear his head, sharpen his mind more.  He felt better at least. "I remember being with you and Lian in the parking lot. Then, I remember you came from me while I was walking to the beach."  He set the glass aside on the side table next to the bed. "I don't remember much after that."

"What happened was I was right and the alien being was influencing you." Will moved his chair closer to the hosptial bed, "You got some of your powers back and everything but went completely beserk. You took out everyone that came. Thankfully, Apollo and Midnighter helped you out."

"I see."  Kaldur fell silent.  Guilt already swimming up to him now.  "I didn't mean for it to happen."

"It wasn't your fault."

Kaldur looked at him for a long time, "It's not his, either."

"Kaldur."

"No, Will, listen." Kaldur exhaled slowly, "I do remember more of my time there- it's chaotic but it's there.  What I remember is still true. Liam isn't an evil being."

Will swore softly, " He literally tried to use you to power his world, Kal. I don't think that's a 'nice' thing to do."

"He doesn't have enough energy if he's doing that." Kaldur argued, " and I think he's just lonely."

"Lonely?" Will shook his head, "If he's so lonely why did he need you and not just create a partner?"

"I don't know." At least he's honest.  He didn't know why Liam didn't do that.  It was probably an energy thing but if he had just created another like himself, then wouldn't that solve everything?   "Is everyone ok?"

"Yeah. They got a nifty medbay here with all the things needed. Artemis was on her feet in less than ten.  Same with everyone else."

"I hope I didn't hurt them too much."

"It'll be fine." Will told him before getting up to get a bag, "The real problem is that your god-like-super-boyfriend is coming after us to get you back. The others are going to try and devise a plan to stop him and save that world."

"Save it?" Kaldur takes the bag and peeked inside.  It was his Aquaman uniform.  Something inside him recoiled at the sight of it, even as he reached in to unpack it.  It was the only clothing he had. 

"Yeah." Will rubbed the back of his neck then looked away as Kaldur started to get dressed. "No one's keen on genocide.  Not even the Authority, I guess."

"Apparently they do have some kind of morality." Kaldur mused finishing getting dressed and sighed heavily.  Why did he feel heavier than before?  "Well, is there a meeting going on to address this?"

Will looked back, " If you're ready for it."

"I am."

 The walk to the conference room would be a long one. It felt long.  Maybe because between them, something was there. Just hovering at their backs like an oppressive cloud that's about to rain. The silence became even heavier as they neared their destination. 

It was enough that Will stopped him, another set of large windows that showed the Bleed beside them.  He's not sure what to say to him or how to even begin this conversation. It was a long time coming and they could've ignored it forever.  

"Were you really happier there?" Will couldn't help himself but ask that. "Really happy?"

Kaldur turned towards the windows, though he could see their reflection in it. "I think I was."

"You think?"

"I remember that I was confused." He recalled, " I couldn't tell if this world or that was real.  They both felt like it. I believe in order to integrate me into that world, Liam created false memories.  Those memories are still there." There's a short pause, though he felt he had to be honest.  If to no one else, but him.  "When I wasn't questioning it- I was happy. I had everything there, Will.  My parents were heroes."   That got a bit of a laugh from him. "Heroes for Atlantis.  A childish dream I had once."   He shook his head, " That's what it feels like.  A dream.  A good dream that if they had told me that I was a citizen of that world and not of another, I believe I would had lived well there."

"Do you want to go back?"  Will glanced over at him.

That wasn't fair-or maybe it was.  Kaldur had thoughts of that as well. "Part of me does."

"Because you're lonely?"

"Aren't you?"

His question took Will by surprise for a minute and he thought on it before shrugging a bit, "No, not really. Artemis is there and I have Lian."

"And you hold out hope that Jade will come back, as well."

That...hurt but only a little. It's obvious, of course and Kaldur wasn't an idiot. " I do. There's good in her, she just doesn't want to see it."

"What if she never does?"

"The door will always be open to her."

"And your bed as well."  Kaldur turned to move on. "We should-"

"Hold on."  Will stepped in his way, "We've been dancing around this.  We're adults, we could at least say it."

Kaldur looked up at him, his mask back in place. That polite one that Will never really cared much for. He was always too good at acting. 

"There's nothing to say."

"The hell there isn't." Will's eyes narrowed, " Do you like me, Kaldur?"

He averted his eyes, "There's no point in asking that."

"Do you?" Will pressed, "Because you said a helluva lot back there.  Including Taipei."

Normally, he'd have flinched at mentioning that.  A source of embarrassment and longing all at once.  He didn't, but it didn't mean the feelings weren't there. 

"It was wrong of me to use that in an argument. For that, I apologize."

"But you did and you do, don't you?"

The word came, even though Kaldur hadn't wanted it to.  "Yes."

Will's body relaxed at that, " Why didn't you just tell me? Save us all this mess."

"Because, I didn't want to ruin our friendship for something that couldn't be." He answered, his shoulders slumped ever so slightly like the fight had gone out of him for this.  "Not to sound sentimental but you were my first kiss. After everything with Tula, I had resolved myself to my duty and job as Aqualad then. I had thought that such a love like that was not for me. That I would always remain the trusted friend to many or maybe even a curiosity." He finally looked at him in the eyes, "Us- that night we spent there and the morning after that when it became unmentionable...I realized that I was a passing flirtation for you but you weren't that for me. I feared I would want you in a way you wouldn't want me and I couldn't stand that if I admitted it- been selfish- that it could hurt our relationship."

"Kal, I wouldn't have-"

"I couldn't be sure of that." Kaldur interrupted him. "I couldn't take that chance."  He turned to go again, "I remember you asked me if I was willing to risk myself for - and I quote- 'a little piece of ass'."

Will winced, "I shouldn't have put it in those terms exactly..."

"In my heart of hearts, Will, I think I would've." He continued walking on, " There's a type of loneliness that even the companionship of friends and family that can't be filled.  I wish it were different for me.  I wish I didn't crave what I ultimately cannot have."

"That's stupid." Will followed him, "You're a good looking guy, Kal, you could have anyone you wanted."

"It's not that simple." He bit out. "If it was, I wouldn't have been such an easy prey."

Will fell silent beside him for a moment then asked, "So now what?"

"We pretend, again, that this conversation didn't happen."

"But it did." Will hesitated briefly, "I don't know if I can give you what you want."  he took his hand and pulled him closer, " I don't know if I'll ever be over Jade and I have Lian to think about."

Kaldur looked at him, " You don't have to do-"

"Shut up." Will slipped an arm around him, " It's my turn to talk here.  Listen to what I'm saying.  I like you. I love you as a friend but I like you in the same way as you do me.  I also still love Jade in a way and she is the mother of my child, that's not going to change."

"Then-"

"No, still talking." Will reminded him. "That said, no one's told me that I can't have all those feelings at once. I can and I do. I do want to be with you, Kal."

Kaldur's lips pressed together in a thin line. Pale eyes searched Will's as if he could see the truth of it all. It felt true. Honest really.  Still, his gaze went else where, " I don't believe Jade would appreciate this."

"One:  She's not here.  And two:  She's the one that kicked my ass about it ages ago." Will's amused when Kaldur's eyes flew up back to his face in surprise at that. "Yeah, apparently, she's always kinda known it was you.  I think she might have a crush on you."

"She stabbed me with a shuriken."

"That's just how she shows affection."

He just shook his head, resting it against Will's shoulder for the moment. A lot had happened and he was trying to believe Will's words.  He knows he should regardless because Will's never lied to him.  Not knowingly, at least.  Still, a part of him was in disbelief at that. 

"Do you really?" The insecurity was clearly heard in his voice. A vulnerability that he rarely indulged in. "You're not just saying this to keep me from going back?"

Will couldn't blame him. A lot of things happened between them and to them. Life was hard enough as it was and being a hero made it infinitely harder.  Still, he pressed a kiss to Kaldur's temple and felt the man lean into him more.  It made him realize that maybe the other was a little touched starved as well.  

"I really mean it, Kaldur. I want us to at least try."

For a moment, Kaldur forgets everything else and holds on to Will.  His warmth and scent underneath the faded cologne he had worn earlier on, Kaldur lets himself soak it all in.  Maybe they could do it? Do this?  It boggled the mind a bit that Jade may also want in and he found he had no aversions to that. A certain curiosity rose from that idea.  

But they'll figure it out later.

As Kaldur leaned back to say something else, a powerful energy tore them apart, Will screamed in agony before him and then winked out of sight.

"I told them." Liam's human form appeared above him, glowing brightly with energy.  The very air crackled around him as he neared Kaldur, "I will destroy them for having taken you from me."

 

  

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

"What did you do?"  

It wasn't loud. In fact, it was so soft that Liam had to lean in to even hear it. Kaldur stood, shell shocked at what happened to Will.  To the one bit of happiness that came out of all this that he hadn't thought was possible. It was gone in a blink of an eye.  his mind spiraled in denial at this.  The fact that Liam, another he had denied being as horrible as they'd said, had done this made it harder for him to wrap his mind around it. 

"Where is he, Liam?" The words tumbled out of his mouth. Too calmly, too softly. It was as if someone else was speaking for him using his mouth and voice. 

Liam frowned in confusion. "He's safe. I sent him elsewhere for the time being."  He smiled and reached out to Kaldur, taking his hand, "I came to rescue, you. To take you back home."

"Home?"

"Of course." Liam said patiently as one would a child. "Home, where you and I were happy. Where we live."

His heart eased slightly, knowing that Will was at least safe. If he was safe, there was hope to return him safe and sound.  "I can't, Liam, I don't belong there."

"You do." Liam's grip tightens on his hand, "It's these strangers, they're messing with your mind, Kaldur, you belong there. You belong home where you're loved and cared for."

"Liam, I-"  Kaldur began but was interrupted. 

"There it is!" Nightwing and the others rushed towards them. "Get away from him!"

Liam's eyes narrowed and a 'door' appeared between them.  "Didn't your mother ever teach you it's rude to interrupt a conversation?" 

Out of the portal came the heroes and villains alike from his world.  All their eyes were whited out, glowing ominously with power.  Liam lightly clicked his tongue, and the army of super-powered people launched themselves at them with a battle cry.   

"Oh, shit!" Nightwing dropped, missing being hit by a swing of Alternate Aquaman's trident, "Don't kill them!"

"What?" Midnighter called as he broke the kneecap of one of the villains, "Didn't hear ya there."

"He said," Miss Martian's eyes glowed brightly as she lifted three more and threw them at another group, "Don't. Kill. Them!"

"That is so not how we play." Shen dived and raked her talons across another flyer's midsection, causing the other to crash. 

"Angie, stats!" Jack called knocking two more heads against each other. 

"They're being controlled like our Aquaman had been." Angie gritted her teeth for a moment before shooting the man in front of her in less lethal spots, "We're going to have to knock them out somehow."

"Great." Apollo grunted , holding another super strong man in a head lock, "Where's the doctor? Can't he do anything about this?"

"Angie, can you get ahold of him?" Jack called.

"No."  She was busy trying to ignore the supersonic sound being blasted at her, "I-I don't think he's even on the ship!"

"That asshole!" Shen dived down to help Tigress out. "I swear, some days it makes me think the League is better than this."

"Don't joke." Tigress smiled a little, thanking her with a nod and then kicked some clawed chick in the face, "They're just as bad. Trust me."

Superboy brought his shoulder down as he rammed into a few more, "Maybe we should try and push them back?"

"It could work- Engineer?" Nightwing jumped up over some other guy's head, "A door for them?"

"Everyone- the floor is lava!" Angie couldn't help but laugh, " I always wanted to say that."

"Please, don't." Jack grabbed hold of the wall with his feet, which were meant to stick to buildings almost like a spider. "Off the floor, people!"

Midnighter sighed, somewhat annoyed, "This is why I hate working with them." He said to Apollo, who'd gotten rid of his own opponent at that point and picked him up. "They just take the fun out of everything."

"How sad." Apollo's wry smile graced his face, "you won't get your leather soaked in blood this time. What a shame."

"If I didn't love you so much, I would kick your ass right now."

Shen snatched up Tigress, Miss Martian levitated both Nightwing and Superboy from the ground.  

"We're clear!" Shen shouted, "Go for it!"

"Door." Angie watched as the ground became golden and wide, letting them all fall through to the other side.  Back to their own world.  After the last one fell through, the door closed and Angie touched down to the ground, doing a sweep of the area, " It's clear. There's no nasty surprises here."

"Thank gods." Superboy muttered then frowned, "Hey, as anyone seen Red Arrow or Kaldur?"

Tigress searched around, then swore softly, "That little-!  He must've taken both of them while we were preoccupied!"

"Great." Nightwing wanted to kick something but restrained himself, "Lets hope they can get out of that.  We have to make sure that even without that thing, that that world can survive."  He looked towards Jack and Angie, "Do you guys have it ready?"

"Yeah, we have it."

"Good. Let's get ready to drop it off." Nightwing sheathed his nightsticks and walked along, "Regardless of what happens, we're not leaving that world like that."

Amidst the silence, Angie opened a link between herself and the rest of the Authority.   ((" _Are we really going to give them that generator we took off of Stormwatch?_ "))

((" _Do you want to fight with them on how we got it in the first place?_ ")) Shen asked, ((" _I think we should. It's not like they're going to run back and tell the League how or why we have it._ "))

((" _Dunno, that Martian girl might be a problem._ " )) Midnighter seemed to hum, walking as he usually did. 

(( _" Lets just see how this pans out."_ )) Jack glanced over at them. (( _"If this creature can be subdued without killing it, fine. If we gotta kill it- which I think it may come to that- then we need to weigh our options. See if we can't locate people from our Earth there and get them out."_ ))

((" _And kill the rest, huh Jack?_ ")) Shen's eyes narrowed slightly. ((" _Just like-_ "))

((" _It's nothing like that. For all we know we freed them._ " ))  Jack snapped. They were not going to think about that dimension. ((" _Lets just be ready for the worst case scenario._ "))

 

* * *

 

 "Liam," Kaldur gripped his hand. He couldn't see anything but he could feel a heat coming from somewhere, "Where are we?"

"We're in the dark, obviously." Liam's voice came from somewhere beside him. Then slowly, he could see him starting to glow but retained his human form. "This is where I was born."

"Here?" Kaldur's eyesight in the dark was good, but not that good. "There's nothing here. Why have you bought me here?"

Sheepish smile, Liam rubbed the back of his neck, "I didn't mean to. It just sort of popped into my head to come here again."  He looked at him, " I can take us back home."

It made things harder, that's for certain. "I can't come back with you. I have a job- an obligation back there to do what's right by them."

"Job, obligation." Liam snorts dismissively, "What job do you have that couldn't be done by others?  I know you, Kaldur'ahm. You'll convince yourself of your importance there but it's all a lie. They don't need you."  He pulled him closer, " I need you.  They can't love you the way I can."  A hand brushed against Kaldur's cheek. "What can they give you that I can't?"

"A sense of purpose." Kaldur tried to pull back from him but it was hard. Liam's voice, his scent even in this dark void, was intoxicating. It reeled him in as easily as anything. "I have a duty."

"Your duty and purpose can be our world, Kaldur." Liam cooed, lips brushing against his. "I can give you that as well. What could they possibly hold for you?"

Blue eyes. A voice-  "There's someone that's waiting for me there."

"Then let them wait."  Stubborn, Liam nipped Kaldur's lips but pulled back. "There are others for them but only you for me. I told you that."

Kaldur shook his head, " But I-"

Anger stiffened Liam's body, making it glow more as he looked dead at Kaldur in the eyes.  The darkness around them shifted and bled to red before finally settling over the watery blue planet with the large continent at the center.   "You?  You what?  I have done everything I could for you to love me and this world, Kaldur'ahm. I've reshaped the world just for you.  I created heroes when there were none. I've made villains to challenge them. I've brought safety and peace to the people so you could enjoy that peace and safety.  I've done everything for _you_!  I've loved you when _none_ had. I kept you safe and this is what I get?  After everything?" He dropped his hand, but kept them both aloft. "I was born in that darkness with no one there.  There was no one to tell me anything- show me what I was supposed to do.  I created this world so I wouldn't be alone but I was wrong, Kaldur.  Even with them, I couldn't stop the loneliness until you came. Unlike the others, you felt similar to me.  Striving for something you couldn't have. I looked in your memories and saw your world.  Your world that wouldn't love you even if you screamed for it."  His hands went up to Kaldur's face, drawing him closer. "You wanted to be loved by those you fell for.  Look at me, Kaldur.  Don't I look familiar?"

Kaldur's eyes widen. How had he not noticed it before?  "No...but how?"

"Your memories, of course." Liam smiled faintly, " I didn't have a human form. Didn't know what would be seen as harmless to you when you fell into this realm. I took the form of those you'd fallen in love with to get closer to you. To understand."  He pressed his forehead against Kaldur's closing his eyes briefly, " I didn't mean to fall in love with you too."

Kaldur closed his eyes too. It hadn't been all bad. In fact, Liam had given him some of the best times of his life. If he hadn't loved someone else- if he didn't feel obligated to do his duty towards his king and country-, he would've gone with him and never looked back. It still tempted him.  And yet-

"I can't stay."

Liam's eyes opened at that, " I'll never let you go, Kaldur'ahm."

"You must."

"This world will end without you." Liam persisted, "If you leave- they _will_ die too."

It gave him pause. Even as he thought it through, rationalizing that his own happiness could be achieved there if it would save others- he also knew that no matter how happy or content he'd be, he would've been miserable underneath it all. His friends weren't in that world.  His family, such as it was, weren't truly there. The person he loved would also not be there.  It would never be his world, no matter how much Liam twisted it to give him something of his heart's desires.

It would never be enough.

He wrapped his arms around Liam, held him close to him. He could feel Liam stiffen in his embrace. Already trying to pull away, but seemingly not having the strength to do so. Really, he didn't want to. That, Kaldur was certain of. Liam was like an immature little god of this dimension.  He could do whatever he wish and none could stop him here. It didn't matter, though.

"You can find a way to save them." Kaldur just exhales slowly after that, letting go of other feelings. Other emotions.  He needed to focus.  There were other reasons why he was made leader of the Justice League.  Not everything needed to be a fight.   "I know you can."

Liam's body shook with emotions. Grief and pain being chief among them. He couldn't quite understand why this was happening. Hadn't he done everything right? Didn't he give Kaldur everything he desired?

Why hadn't he been enough?

Kaldur just held him as the other cried on his shoulder, hugging him back as if he could physically change his mind.  "I'm sorry, Liam. I'm sorry, I can't stay."

"Did you at least love me?" His voice was full of sadness.

"Yes.  I did." Kaldur could say it now, honestly so. Maybe it had been confusing and jumbled time, but he had loved him.  Maybe it had been the beginnings of it. 

Liam looked up, tearful, "Then why are you leaving?"

"I told you. I have a duty.  I have people waiting for me." Kaldur paused for a moment then added, "One of the people you look like, has returned my affections."

"Will Harper." 

"Yes."

Liam looked away, unhappily so. "I sent him back to your world."

"Thank you." 

"Don't thank me yet." Liam slowly withdrew from him, hugging himself. "I told you, I don't have enough power for this world.  He might be a little confused when you see him again."

Kaldur only nodded, "As long as he's alright, I'm grateful."

Liam said nothing at first. Only gazed at him.  It was then that Kaldur could see a soft golden light bathing them both in the darkness of space.  "Go."

"Liam, what-"

"Just go, Kaldur'ahm, before I change my mind!" Liam turned away from him holding himself tightly. "Go before I regret this."

Kaldur hesitated for a brief moment then left.  There wasn't anything else he could say that sounded right.  Nothing that could make this parting any easier between them.  He wished there had been another way. Another solution for everyone to be happy.  If only. 

Liam waited until he was gone to summon the other that had stolen his Kaldur's heart from him.  Will Harper.  He had told Kaldur he'd send him back- and he will.  It's just that, he wanted to see for himself just who this man was and to leave him with something before he dropped him back in that world.   When he was done, he deposited the man back on his world as well and went back to work. 

With so little energy, Liam hoped that he could at least carry on this dimension a little bit longer.

 

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

 

Will wakes to the smell of coffee wafting in from somewhere.  At first, he doesn't think much about it. It's probably Artemis, who'd always wake up about the same time he did, that made the coffee. The only thing that powered through his sleep-fogged mind was he thought it must've been his turn to do breakfast.  He yawned, muddled in his mind still as he moved along to go get breakfast started and to wake Lian up later.  It doesn't click in his mind that his daughter is having a sleepover at Lynn's.  Or that he's not supposed to be here. 

It doesn't click until he walked into his kitchen and standing there was Kaldur, holding a mug of coffee- his favorite mug, mind- and still in his Aquaman get up.  That's when memories and thoughts flood his mind. It's overpowering enough that he stumbled forward and caught himself on the fridge next to him.  Almost immediately, Kaldur's at his side, hovering over him worriedly. 

"Will, are you alright?" Kaldur's voice stays low even though there's no one else in the house with them. "He said you might be a bit confused coming back here."

"Yeah...I'm alright, Kal."  Will gave him a shaky smile, "Just a bit of a rush."

"Sit down." Kaldur guides him to a chair, pulling it out for him. "You might still be dizzy."

"It feels like I've been hit in the head." Will cradled his head between his hands, leaning against the table. "What happened?"

Kaldur moved and fixed a cup of coffee for Will.  He slid it over to him, then sat across from him before he answered. "I spoke with Liam.  He consented to let me be and to free you."

"Seriously?" Will sighed, leaning back and took his mug. "Was that really all?"

"The gist of it."

"Where are the others?"

Kaldur shrugged, "I assume they're on the Carrier.  I was able to get in contact with them for a short time. They're tying up loose ends, as they say, and providing Liam with a generator of some kind."

"Hm. Hope that'll work and keep everything going there." Will brought the mug to his lips, taking a cautious sip but frowned a little, "Are you using my mug?"

"Aren't all of them your mugs?" 

The frown became a little grumpy one, "That's my favorite mug."

"Really?" Kaldur smiled taking another sip even as the mug was very clearly marked 'Will's'. "I had no idea."

"You little shit! You _know_ that's my favorite mug."

"Still using vulgar language." Kaldur raised a brow, leaning against the table setting the mug aside, "Do you kiss Lian with that?"

"No." Will moved and caught him by his chin, "But I'll kiss you with it."  And promptly does so. 

He savored the coffee flavored kiss as much as he dared. Leaning into it more, deepening it until that eventually had to part for air. Somehow, or another, one of his hands slid to the back of Will's head, curling slightly.  Will's hair is soft.  Softer than Kaldur had thought it'd be.  He doesn't really dwell on it much because he's kissing Will again.  Slower this time.  Lingering more.   Next time they part, he told him he missed him. Will said much the same and the kisses lead to other things.  Which lead back down to the room Will woke up in.

* * *

 

 

 

"So," Midnighter's disapprovingly watched them, "We're really doing this, huh?"

"We are." Miss Martian looked over the generator, "But I have to ask, where'd you get one of these? It's really alien tech- I've never seen anything like it."

"You know, from here or there." Angie eyed what she was doing before stepping back, "I think we're ready."

Jack nodded a little, stuffing his hands into his pocket, "Doc, you're up. Call him."

The Doctor sighed deeply, exhaling out a stream of cigarette smoke as he does so, "We should all be grateful that whatever Aquaman did ended it peacefully enough."  He sticks the half burning cig back in his mouth, "It could've been much worse."

"Promises, promises." Midnighter did smile at that, "Not the first time we killed God. We could've done it again."

"You _what_?" Nightwing's pretty sure he hasn't heard this story before. Then again, given everything he's seen so far in his life, why does this surprise him? Oh yeah, because it was with a capital 'g' and not a plural.  "I- Should I even ask?"

"Nope." Shen turned as a glowing form phased onto the Carrier, "And our guest has arrived."

Liam appeared, almost as ordinary as before. His appearance seemed to have changed just a touch.  A little taller, slightly more muscular with an eel tattoo on one arm. He didn't seem as impressive as before, but no one in that room was fooled for a minute by his looks. 

"What do you want?" He also still didn't like any of them. "Aside from watching my dimension die out?"

"Isn't he delightful?" Apollo muttered to Midnighter. 

"Just a peach." His husband chuckled. 

Nightwing ignored them and spoke to him, "Look, I'm assuming by that, you let Kaldur go, right?"

"And his friend." Liam narrowed his eyes a little. "What of it? You have what you want. Why not leave me in peace?"

"Because we don't want your world to die." Miss Martian offered him a smile then gestured to the generator. "This machine will help you produce the energy you need to maintain this place indefinitely."

Angie took over at this point, " All you have to do is place it at the heart of your dimension and flip it on. As long as it's there, it'll continue to feed your world magic and energy enough for you to keep expanding.  At least, until you want to stop, of course."

Liam eyed them all for a moment before going over to the machine, trying to verify it himself. It took a few moments but he did look over at the Doctor. "You had a hand in this?"

"I did." He replied, leaning against the wall, looking like he had a headache to top it all off. "Not entirely difficult once you get around a few blocks."

"I see." Liam walked around it once before snapping his fingers.  It disappeared.  He shifted uneasily, taking them in again.  "I suppose I'm in your debt."

"Not this time." Tigress said, " After all, we just wanted our friend back. We're not genocidal killers."

Again, there's a short silence before Liam nodded once, "Thank you, I guess."   He turned to leave and then pause for a moment.  Lips pressed then, he went over to Tigress, summoning up the seashell pendant he'd once worn and handed it to her.  "Will you give this to him?"

Beneath her mask, her brows rose as she inspected it and then nod, "Yeah, I will."

"Thank you, once more."  With that he disappeared.

Superboy went over to her, also inspecting it, "Are you really going to give it to him?"

"Yeah."  She held it up, "It's not like it'll do anything.  It's just a seashell."

* * *

 

 The seashell pendant dangled from Kaldur's neck as he considered the cards in his hands.  A quick glance around the table told him he had no choice but to do this. Artemis and Conner were on their  second to last cards.  Dick only had two more to go while Will and M'gann had at least three to get rid of.  It was a game that destroyed families. Broken friendships. Probably would start another world war, if anyone was truthful about it.  However, in a game like this against the best of the best that the league had ever produced, he considered it a necessity to play this way.

He put it down.  "Pick up four." The smug smirk slipped across his lips as he continued, "The color is green. " The collective groans from his friends were almost enough to make him laugh.

"Fuck, Kal, you're killing me here!" Will growled.

"We'll see who has the last card." Artemis grinned picking up some good ones, in her opinion.

"Ugh, I can't believe this!" Conner just groaned, "So...so close."

M'gann shook her head, "I can't believe we haven't killed each other yet."

"Give it time, Miss M." Dick laughed, "Uno, of all the games in the world, will have you drawing sais and knives from everywhere."

Will scowled at him, " You're the one that suggested it, _Dick_."

 "It's a great bonding tool, wouldn't you agree?"

"We're never letting you suggest anything else for game night." 

They laughed, some drinking beer and others just soda for the night. The entire bizarre experience with the being known as 'Liam' seemed far away now. It's been at least a good month or two, after all the reports had been filed (Kaldur had insisted upon making some) and things seemed to have died down to normal level of super-villainy in the works. Or at least as normal as it'd get.   To help further that bit of normalcy, M'gann had proposed a game night for them.  Just one night every so often, where they could unwind if nothing major was happening. 

"It'll help." She had said at the time, "Besides, Conner and I haven't gotten out in a while. It'll be nice to share something not world ending with friends."

They agreed that it was probably a good idea and took turns hosting or selecting a game.  Tonight had been Will's place and Dick had chosen the game.  They should've known better. Six more rounds, two more cases of beer, and three bottles of soda and more empty bowls of snacks later, they called it a night.  The winner?  Artemis.  

"She's really good at it, isn't she?" M'gann had said as they left, after bidding everyone goodnight.

"Just remind me never to play her again." Conner huffed but smiled. 

Artemis had said she'd walk Dick to the car, though Kaldur knew they were going to talk about furthering some plan or another that was related to the missions they would take on later.   

For now, it was just him and Will cleaning up the mess they'd made.  Kaldur's amused as he swept up the chips that had fallen during the game because someone decided they needed to scream 'Uno' and knocked it over.   He looked over at Will, who was at the sink washing out the cans and bottles to be recycled later. He'd never pictured his life to turn out like this. Or for them to be like this either.   If Jade would just come around more to at least see Lian, things probably would be perfect.   It's a work in progress.  Like a cat, Jade'll come when she wants and how she wants.  One just had to be patient.

And they would be. 

"What's up?"  Will asked, putting the used drinking glasses away. "You look far away there."

"I was just thinking about everything."  Kaldur finished sweeping up and dumped the contents in the trash. "That was fun, wasn't it?"

"We're never letting Dick pick a game for us to play again." Will stated darkly, "I'm telling you, Gotham kids come out twisted some how."

"Better not let Artemis hear that." Kaldur clicked his tongue but went over to him to help. 

"Artemis? She's the top one on that list!"

Artemis chose that time to return and heard her name, " I'm at the top of what list?"

Despite Will's look, Kaldur blithely replied with a smile, "Oh that you're the top of the list of twisted Gotham kids."

Artemis raised a brow at them both, a cocky smile played on her lips, "Damn right, I am."  She said and headed to her room, "And don't forget it!"

Will just rolled his eyes heavenward, "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Something good, I think." 

He snorts, finishing up the dishes with Kaldur's help, "I guess so. A smart ass for a sister-in-law and a smart ass for a lover. I just can't win, can I?"

Kaldur leaned toward him, "Why did you even try?"

Wrapping his arms around Kaldur's waist, he pulled him against him and just stole a short sweet kiss from him. "I dunno, I guess I thought I might've had a shot."

Kaldur shook his head and just let himself sink into his embrace, finding it comforting. The silence that fell between them was pleasant. Just being there with each other was enough for them right now.  He couldn't imagine his life any other way and he tilted his head, lightly kisses Will's temple.  His arms loose around him too, closing his eyes as he hummed softly. 

"What song is that?" Will asked quietly, knowing they should probably go to bed. Lian'll be back from her sleepover at Raquel's in the morning. The kids were fast becoming best friends and he didn't want to do anything that'd spoil that. Not to mention, it did give him more alone time as well. "Sounds familiar."

"It's by some artist named Voodoo." Kaldur murmured. "Someone at the Watchtower keeps hacking the speaker systems and plays it, among other things."

Will laughed, "Sure it's not Dick?"

"Honestly, I have no idea." Kaldur cracked a smile, " Hawkgirl claims if they don't stop, she'll take a mace to their face."

"Sounds like she'll do it."

"She will."

Will pulled back a bit and kissed him once more, holding it for a little longer than normal before he broke it to say, "I love you, Kal."

Kaldur felt warmth, joy at this. At being able to say it back too- whenever he wanted.  "I love you, too, Will."   He kissed him again for a brief moment.

"Lets get to bed. It's late." Will was more reluctant to let him go.  He does so then turns the dishwasher on.

With a nod, Kaldur also let go, and moved to do that.  Both, however, missed the faint glow of the pendant.  Or that the faint glow matched that of Will's eyes as he watched Kaldur from behind as they made their way to the bedroom. 

" _I will never let you go._ " The words, so soft, barely a whisper themselves. Almost a sigh of a sound, slipped from his mouth when Kaldur entered their room. " _Never._ "

"Will?"  Kaldur called back to him, "Did you say something?"

Will shook his head, clearing the cobwebs from it.  He shivered as if something had stepped on his gave.  Whatever it was, it was over now.  Nothing like what happened a month or so ago would ever happen again.   

"Will?"

He smiled, heading to bed,"I didn't say anything.  Lets get some sleep."

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, this was longer than I thought. Thanks for sticking with it. It was a trip and a half. Also I'm very sorry about the twist ending. Which I mean to say: I'm completely not sorry. Still, this was fun. There's no sequel (that I'm aware of), at least not unless my muse feels like it. This is as close to a happy ending I can muster for it.


End file.
